At home, Bianca lay on the couch, eyes closed, her body finally surrendering to the exhaustion that had been chasing her for days. The soft glow of the table lamp cast warm shadows across the living room, illuminating the delicate curve of her jaw, the faint purple shadows beneath her eyes, the way her chest rose and fell in slow, measured breaths. She seemed to be trying to get some rest—truly trying—her fingers uncurled at her sides, her face relaxed for the first time in what felt like forever.The house was quiet. The kind of quiet that settled into the walls and whispered of peace. Somewhere in the distance, a clock ticked steadily, marking the passage of time like a heartbeat.Monica sat on the couch next to her, curled into the corner with her legs tucked beneath her, her phone glowing in her hands. She had been scrolling for the better part of an hour—catching up on emails, checking social media, idly thumbing through the news—when her finger froze mid-scroll.Her eyes widened
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