Chapter 61

I felt trapped, both in my house and betweenher Dad and Nico. The home wasn't a cosy nest

anymore, it seemed like four wallsholding me captive. Even my beloved books, usually windows to exciting worlds, felt like prison bars. They all tried to reach out to me, but my heart was still too heavy to speak to anyone.

Ariana and Claire had come to visit after countless times trying my phone, but Nanny told them to visit some other time. Nico’scalls were endless, he kept calling and texting, apologizing for what he said. I cried while listening to his voicemails, reading his text and looking at his pictures.

The house carried a weight heavier than that of a truck filled with cement. There were no more sneaky smiles at dinner, no shared secrets giggled under our breath, no late-night gossip or stories. Every room was heavy with unspoken feelings, like dust bunnies of hurt and misunderstanding. It was suffocating.

Nanny, sometimes felt like a warm blanket in a freezing room. She tried to mend