Chapter Eighty-eight

My heart pounded so loudly in my chest that I was sure he would hear it, even from outside the office. I stood frozen, barely daring to breathe as my father’s voice carried down the hallway, each word sending a fresh wave of terror through me. What if he came in? What if he saw the open drawer, the letters? My mind raced, scrambling for a solution, but I couldn’t think clearly over the deafening rush of blood in my ears.

I needed to hide. Now.

I glanced around the room, searching for a place to disappear. The office, once so familiar and comforting, now felt like a...