LAYLA
The silence was deafening.
For the first time since I had been brought to this place, I was truly alone.
I sat on the edge of my bed, my fingers gripping the sheets so tightly my knuckles ached. My chest still felt tight, like I was struggling to breathe even though there was no reason to.
But there was a reason.
Because no matter how much I wanted to deny it, something inside me had just been shattered.
I dragged in a shaky breath, lifting my gaze to the dimly lit room. The walls, tall and daunting, felt like they were closing in on me. The fire in the hearth crackled softly, its flickering light casting long shadows across the floor.
It was too quiet.
Too still.
The air felt thick, suffocating, as if the walls themselves carried the weight of my thoughts, pressing down on me with an unbearable heaviness.
I should feel relieved.
I should be glad that he was gone.
But instead, all I felt was hollow.
