Chapter 12

• By 3:00 PM, the heavy rain had cleared, leaving behind a humid, sun-drenched afternoon. The air in my bedroom had grown too stagnant, the walls closing in on me as I mapped out my dangerous new strategy. I needed to move. I needed to breathe.
• I changed into a simple, form-fitting black knit dress that hugged my curves like a second skin, leaving my shoulders bare. Walking down to the kitchen, I found Maria preparing pastries. When I asked if I could have some coffee and a chicken sandwich served in the garden, her tired eyes lit up with a warm, maternal smile.
• Minutes later, I was sitting at a wrought-iron patio table on the terrace, a steaming cup of dark coffee in one hand and a neatly cut sandwich on a porcelain plate before me. The cool breeze off the damp grass was refreshing, momentarily clearing the lingering fog of my thoughts. I sipped my coffee, letting the caffeine ground me.