Third person POVThe wind carried the scent of pine and rain through the hills, whispering against the walls of the art retreat. It was a quiet place, far from the chaos of the city, where guests came to disconnect from the world and rediscover themselves. For Maya, it was supposed to be a clean slate.Years had passed since that night—the one she never dared to name. Life had moved on, or at least pretended to. She’d finished school, gone to art college, built a quiet reputation for painting emotion through abstraction. Yet, no matter how much time slipped by, her mind returned to that storm, to the firelight, and to Lila.She hadn’t spoken to her stepsister in nearly five years. After graduation, Lila vanished without a word, leaving Maya with nothing but memories and a sense of guilt that crept into her veins every time she closed her eyes. So when she received an invitation from an exclusive artist residency in the mountains, she took it without hesitation. She wanted distance—fro
Last Updated : 2025-10-28
