Chapter Twenty-one 

**Natasha’s POV**

The next morning, I told him I was going shopping. My voice was steady, maybe too steady. My smile felt stiff, like it could crack. When he nodded and said nothing, my stomach turned.

Why so easy? Did he believe me? Or was he watching me in secret?

My heart pounded hard, shaking inside my chest. Each step down the stairs felt heavy. I hugged my bag close, as if it could hide the fear crawling under my skin.

The car keys slipped in my sweaty hand. I held the steering wheel tight, my fingers cold even though the sun was warm. For a moment, I just sat there, breathing fast, trying to calm the storm inside me.

When I finally drove toward Dr. Jones’s office, the road seemed endless. My body felt heavy, like I was carrying stones no one else could see.

When I reached his door, my stomach twisted. The words Dr. A. Jones on the plate made me feel sick. To others, it was just an office. To me, it was a trap.

I knocked softly, my hand shaking.

“Come in,” his voice called, cal