60| I feel controlled

MONICA

I stand by the window of the hotel room, my arms crossed tight against my chest, staring down at the street below as snow fell lazily.

I had been following them since they left the gala.

And now I checked into the same hotel they entered just so I could see the pain in her eyes when she begins to feel the pain from the pills.

I check my phone for the up-tenth time now.

And yet… Nothing.

No calls.

No messages.

No alerts.

I turn the screen off, then on again, like maybe the phone is the problem. Like maybe reality will correct itself if I did so.

But it doesn’t.

My jaw tightened.

By now, something should have happened.

A doctor rushing through the lobby.

A rumor spreading through the hotel like smoke.

Emergency in room 1208.

That was how I imagined it. That was how it was supposed to be.

I walk away from the window and started pacing.

Where is Adrian?

I pull my phone out again and scroll through my messages. The last message I sent still shows delivered