Chapter 62

• The autumn sun filtered through the trees at the park, casting long shadows across the soft grass. Ivy sat on the swing, her legs pumping back and forth as she tried to build momentum. But her heart wasn’t in it. Her usual carefree joy at the park felt dulled by the unease she couldn’t quite shake.
• She missed how simple things used to be—when her parents didn’t seem so tense, and when her dad wasn’t always checking the security cameras or giving her those serious, worried looks. Everything felt different now, and she didn’t understand why.
• “Hey there, Ivy,” a familiar voice called.