Chapter 12 Esmeralda's Pov

• I lay in the dimly lit room, my body aching from exhaustion and my mind heavy with the confusion and anger Sheldon had left me with. The events of the past few hours hang over me like a storm cloud, his words replaying in my mind, each one a fresh insult, a wound deeper than any physical pain.
• Then, an unexpected scent wafts through the air, making my stomach growl involuntarily. I sit up slowly, my senses sharpening. It has been days since I had a proper meal, and the idea of warm food feels almost surreal. As if in answer to my unspoken prayer, the door creaks open, and a young woman steps inside, carrying a tray filled with a feast of steaming dishes.
• The woman is slender, with wide brown eyes that shone with something I recognize as sympathy. She moves with a graceful yet cautious demeanor, as though afraid of being seen.