Aliana’s POV

The days following breakfast with everyone went by in a haze, yet something seemed amiss.

Initially, I believed it was merely my own paranoia, but later I began to observe certain happenings.

Freddy had always been enigmatic—it was part of his nature—but now, things were different.

Phone calls in hushed voices. Late-night disappearances.

Conversations that would stop the moment I walked into a room.

He was hiding something and I hated it.

I sat at the dining table with Mercy, pushing my salad around with my fork, barely paying attention to my food.

Mercy arched her brow. "Okay. What’s wrong?"

I blinked, looking up. "Huh?"

She rolled her...