Rose's POV

The cold stone floor beneath me was a cruel reminder of my reality, my back pressed against the damp wall of the cellar. My body ached with exhaustion and pain; each bruise was a testament to the torment I had endured at the hands of Russell and Alina. The cell was stifling, suffocating in its silence, and I could feel my breath becoming shallow as panic bubbled just beneath the surface. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been here, but the isolation and darkness were wearing me down.

The faint creak of the cellar door jolted me to attention. Footsteps echoed down the stairs, slow and deliberate. I...