Sia POV

The world felt colder as the van pulled up to Arizona Women’s Prison. My heart pounded, a rhythmic beat of dread and disbelief, as I stared through the barred window at the towering grey walls ahead of me. The gates loomed high, crowned with razor-sharp barbed wire that seemed to mock any thought of freedom. The heat of the Arizona sun was intense, but it only heightened the coldness that had seeped into my bones.

The van jerked to a stop, and the doors opened with a metallic groan. The guards—stone-faced, devoid of emotion—dragged me out, their hands gripping me as though I were already a convicted felon....