Chapter 78 Threads Of Truth

• Rachel POV
• I woke that morning with a heaviness in my chest, as if the turmoil of the previous night had etched itself into me, unyielding to the solace of sleep. The near-closeness with Jeremy, the raw edge of our exchanged words, and Cody’s unrelenting presence in the house twisted together into a knot I couldn’t unravel. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting pale streaks across the room, but its glow felt sterile, incapable of warming the hollow ache that clung to me.
• I dragged myself to the shower, the hot water cascading over my skin, steam rising in soft curls, yet it did nothing to dissolve the unease that pulsed beneath my surface. I dressed in jeans and a light blouse, my movements mechanical, a futile attempt to convince myself this was just another day.