Chapter 2: Midnight RescueThe thunderstorm rolled in like an angry beast just after midnight. Rain hammered the roof of the guest house in relentless sheets, thunder cracking so violently the windows rattled. Bella curled tighter into a ball on her bed, knees drawn to her chest, breathing shallow and panicked.She hated storms. They always dragged her back to the worst nights of her parents’ marriage—the screaming matches, slammed doors, broken glass. Her mother’s sobs. Her father’s drunken rage. Even though she was safe now, miles away from that house, her body didn’t know the difference. Her chest tightened. Her heart raced. The familiar wave of panic crashed over her, stealing her breath.Another loud crack of thunder made her whimper. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she rocked slightly, trying to remember the breathing exercises from her online therapy videos. It wasn’t working. The power flickered once, twice, then died completely, plunging the small house into darkness excep
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