Mona

I stood frozen in place, locked in Erica's piercing gaze. My mind still raced with questions: How did she know about James Reed? How did she know I killed him? The room felt suffocating, as if the walls were closing in around us.

A knock on the door shattered the tense silence, breaking the spell that had held us captive.

"Come in," I called out, my voice wary and uncertain.

A female servant entered, her expression hesitant, as if sensing the heavy atmosphere in the room.

"Eva, she's—" the servant began, but before she could finish, the door swung open with a force that made us all flinch.

Eva...