Chapter 15 – The Untouchable Night

• The night air was cool, a sharp contrast to the turmoil churning inside Alina. She slipped quietly from the master suite, careful to avoid the subtle creaks in the wooden floor, and made her way to the terrace. The estate was vast, but she knew this was one place she could breathe—the open sky, the pale light of the moon casting a silvery glow over the manicured gardens and rolling hills beyond.
• The city’s distant hum was a faint whisper here, replaced by the chirping of crickets and the soft rustling of leaves stirred by a gentle breeze. She leaned against the cold stone balustrade, the weight of everything pressing down on her chest. Tonight, the luxury, the cage, the control—all of it felt suffocating.
• She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, willing the knot in her stomach to loosen. But the memories, the tangled web of lies and betrayals, clung stubbornly.