ANNA'S POV

“Shameless girl.”

The woman’s voice cut through the air, sharp and full of disgust. It was deep, commanding, and painfully familiar.

I turned my head, my eyes darting around in panic as I tried to locate where the voice was coming from. Everywhere looked distorted, like I was trapped behind a thick glass wall. Shapes blended together, faces were unclear, and the air itself felt heavy.

“How dare you embarrass my son in front of his colleagues?” the voice came again, louder this time. “Don’t you have any dignity?”

My heart dropped.

I knew that voice.

I knew it far too well.

I tried to step back, to...