Breakfast

CARLY'S POV

I woke up the next day to a slight headache.

It was 5:35 am, the earliest I've been awakened in my entire life.

I sluggishly dragged myself to the bathroom, the pounding in my head intensifying with each step. The cold tiles beneath my feet sent shivers up my spine, a stark reminder of the grim reality I found myself trapped in.

As I turned on the faucet, filling the bathtub with warm water, I thought of the things I would have been doing at that time if I was home.

I quickly submerged myself in the soothing water, trying to wash away not only the physical grime but also the emotional weight that burdened me. The steam enveloped my body as I closed my eyes and let myself drift for a moment into a world where actual freedom existed a world where I was not considered as some collateral.

Just as I began to relax, Alessandro's voice pierced through the silence like a dagger.

Startled, I jerked upright and clutched onto my towel tightly as he strolled into the bathroom without