229

Isabella

As I sat alone in the dimly lit living room, the minutes stretched into hours, each one filled with an unbearable sense of fear and anxiety. My mind raced with thoughts of Robert James and the terror he had instilled in me with his menacing phone call. Every sound outside the window made my heart leap into my throat, every creak of the floorboards sent a shiver down my spine.

I longed for Damien's reassuring presence, for the comfort of his arms wrapped around me, but he was still nowhere to be found. The weight of my fear pressed down on me like a leaden blanket, suffocating me with its suffocating embrace.

Emilio, my father, sat across from me, his face a mask of concern and anger. "We can't just sit here and wait for him to come after you," he said, his voice tight with emotion. "We need to take action, now."

I nodded, my throat constricted with fear. "But what can we do?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. "He's out there, somewhere, waiting to strike."

Emilio's eyes bl