Chapter 19

Hayley

As I stumbled back, my heart drumming against my ribs like a trapped bird, I struggled to catch my breath.

The sudden wave of nausea had taken me completely off guard, leaving me vulnerable and exposed during dinner.

My clammy hands had to seek refuge on the edge of the sink, as it desperately clutched the rough surface. Somehow, I felt it could anchor me against the turbulent tide of emotions that swept through me.

In my eyes, the bathroom spun, and the scent of earth and damp leaves aligning with the tension that I felt, filled the air.

All I could focus on was the desperate need to keep my secret hidden, which was now threatening to unravel in the most public of ways.

My mind raced, frantically sifting through excuses and justifications. I had to come up with something that could explain my sudden illness without revealing the truth. The reality of my situation crashed down on me like a wave, and I felt a shiver of dread crawl up my spine. The last thing I needed was for a