CHAPTER 42

The next morning, Jessica woke up with a knot in her stomach. The sun had barely risen, casting a pale light across her bedroom, but she knew today was going to be difficult. Her thoughts kept drifting to the message she had sent Philip the night before. She was nervous about their meeting, unsure of how it would go or what would come out of it.

She got ready slowly, taking extra care with her appearance. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt the need to present herself well, as if that might help her gain some control over the situation. By the time she was dressed and ready, she still had a few hours before their scheduled meeting. The waiting was unbearable.

To distract herself, Jessica decided to take a walk. The city was just waking up, and the streets were still relatively quiet. She wandered aimlessly, trying to clear her head, but no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept returning to her father’s warning and the pressure she felt from all sides.

She ended up at a small park