Elena’s POV

The night in Las Vegas had always been loud, too loud for someone like me who carried silence inside like a second skin. Neon lights blinked outside the hotel window, painting my room in red and gold stripes that flickered across the walls. I had been pacing for the last hour, my bags still unpacked, my nerves sharper than glass. Something about this place didn’t feel right anymore.

Venessa was stretched across the couch like she owned the suite, the baby cradled in her arms, fast asleep. The little boy’s tiny chest rose and fell, oblivious to the storm brewing around him. Venessa hummed softly under her breath,...