A STRANGER’S NOTE

The late afternoon streets of the city buzzed with life. Cars honked in impatient bursts. Office workers hurried toward subways or stopped to grab takeout. The sun dipped low behind tall glass towers, streaking the sky with gold and crimson, as if the whole city were burning at its edges.

I told Rosa I needed some fresh air. That was partly true. Really, I had to escape the Wolfe mansion the house that felt like it was pressing in on me from all sides. Its expensive walls, its spotless halls, its silent corners they weren’t comforting anymore. They felt like traps.

I kept walking, farther than usual, weaving through crowded sidewalks. But even among strangers, freedom felt fragile. Every sound behind me a cough, a footstep, a rustle made me glance over my shoulder. Twice, I caught the edge of a shadow disappearing before I could focus. My chest tightened. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it wasn’t.

When my nerves started to fray, I spotted a café wedged between two boutiques. Its windows g