Chapter 12 Healing And Resolve

• For the next few days, my world narrowed to the slow, steady rhythm of healing. Each morning, I woke to the soft light slipping through thin curtains and the quiet footsteps of Linda coming to my door. She was both nurse and friend, patiently cleaning my cuts, changing bandages, and offering warm cups of tea with gentle smiles.
• One afternoon, as she dabbed at a stubborn cut on my arm, Linda looked up and said, “You have such a strong will, Nadia. It’s like your body knows you have unfinished business.” Her voice was soft but steady, the kind that made me feel understood. I managed a small smile and said nothing. The bruises still throbbed, and the memory of my escape and capture replayed in my mind like a loop I couldn’t turn off. But underneath the pain, I felt my resolve click back into place. Every moment spent healing was a moment I was preparing for what came next.
• Days blended together in that safe house. I spent mornings sipping tea by the window, watching dust motes dance in shafts of sunlight. Afternoons were for resting and letting Linda tend my wounds. At first, I felt trapped, this modest room felt like a gilded cage. But as my strength returned, the walls felt more like a shield, protecting me from Enrico’s reach just long enough to get back on my feet.