Chapter 50: The Sound of my Mother's voice

The moment I opened the front door, I froze. My heart skipped a beat as I locked eyes with the figure standing at the threshold.

It wasn’t Alex this time. It was someone I hadn’t seen in years, someone I thought I’d left behind when I chose to disappear.

“Lila.”

The sound of my mother’s voice sent shivers down my spine. She looked exactly how I remembered—stern, cold, and unyielding, with a presence that could make anyone feel small.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, keeping my voice steady even though my knees felt weak.

“We need to talk,” she said...