Natalie stepped off the plane, the cool foreign air brushing against her face like a whispered promise of escape. The scent of sea salt and unfamiliar spices filled her lungs, a stark contrast to the sterile tension of the airport she'd left behind. Her heart thudded uneasily in her chest—slower than it had been when she left, but still uncertain. Every footstep echoed with conflict.

The city was vibrant, alive in a way she hadn’t felt in months. It should’ve brought her comfort. It didn’t.

She moved through the narrow cobblestone streets of this seaside town, the early evening sky painted in hues of gold and rose. Tourists strolled with...