Chapter 49 Steps Toward Freedom

• Rachel POV
• I stood in the living room, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of my chest. The glass of water in my hand trembled slightly, and the silence in the room was so heavy it was almost tangible. Nick and Scarlett sat on the couch, side by side, their faces frozen in a mix of shock and disbelief. I’d just told them I wanted to live on my own, and their reaction was exactly what I’d expected — and feared.
• “Are you sure you don’t want coffee?” I asked for the third time, my voice higher than intended, a desperate attempt to break the tension. My free hand fidgeted with the strap of my bag, a nervous habit I couldn’t shake.