BOUNDED BY FAITH

ROSIE POV.The rain was pouring, lightning was striking, the storm was roaring but not louder than my heart. The bridge trembled under the storm; the river below was raging as if it wanted to swallow every person on the bridge."Faster, Mom please!" They're right behind us!" I shouted, clutching my seatbelt. Three cars, maybe four, were following us.They were screaming, "Hey, bitch, no one can save you! Haha!" Another one yelled, "Just have, some fun!"I was almost crying. My phone was soaked by the rain. There were no signals, no help and my soul left my body the moment I lifted my eyes from the phone and saw what was ahead. Another car was speeding straight toward us.The last words that came out of my broken throat were,"Mom careful"But my words died before they reached her.And then A sound deafening, sharp metal against metal.Glass shattered and scattered. The screams were lost in the storm. The river swallowed the blood, and the wounds were washed away by raindrops.I wasn'

Rosie pov…..I packed everything, put it into the car, paid the house rent, and moved to New York, the city that had snatched everything from me.As I entered the city, I immediately started feeling a panic attack and intense anxiety. My breathing became heavy. I couldn't risk going back to my old home, so I rented a room again. It was too small, really but I had to adjust. Nearby, my baby, Misthi, was sleeping soundly.At the first sight of sun rays, I started the car. Misthi was with me because I had no one here to care for her. Since I was short on money, I decided to take out a loan from the biggest loan providerAngel's Office Department. I'd heard about their policies. They were too strict but it was the only option I had. I needed the money, though I didn't know how I was going to pay it back."Mamma! Mamma!" Misthi's voice broke my thoughts."Yes, my child?""Mamma, I want ice cream!"Oh, no. She caught colds very fast; I couldn't allow it. I tried to be strict. "No, Misthi, n

ROSIE POV.I get ready in silence, forcing myself into the heavy gown he sent—fabric dragging against my skin like a chain. I don’t even know his name.I only know instructions, orders, and the fact that he gave me enough money to pay the hospital bill and take my Mishti far away after tonight. That was supposed to be the plan. One party. One appearance. Then disappear.But nothing feels simple anymore.In the car, the world outside blurs, and the bridge appears—the same shape, the same railings, the same cold iron that once held blood, screams, and memory. My chest tightens. The flashes hit hard. Blood on my hands. Screams in my ears. The taste of metal. Water swallowing everything.For a second, I forget where I am. Who I am.Everything goes numb.I don’t even realize when he pulls me into his lap, but somehow being there—pressed against his heartbeat, caged in his warmth—makes my lungs work again. It should terrify me. It should feel wrong. But instead, it feels… safer than anywh