AUTHORS POV

Some hours later, she sat at the edge of the garden.

It had been a while since she last visited the garden, and she needed space from the dusty confines of her room even though Mariana had cleaned it several times, the hypersensitivity and nusea just seemed to overwhelm her.

The estate’s gardeners kept everything pristine—blooming bougainvillea, trimmed hedges, a koi pond that glittered under the sun—but none of it soothed her anymore. She was alone. Surrounded by splendor, but suffocating.

Her only taste of freedom came when Pedro had left for work , and even then, Mariana hovered nearby like a shadow with orders to report back....