Though she had taken her medication, sleep had been elusive, leaving her caught in a half-dreaming haze. Even now, awake, she felt drained, her energy sapped.

“I have an early meeting,” Eric said, brushing a soft kiss across her forehead before leaving.

An hour later, Hadley set out for the sanatorium. Upon arriving at Nyla’s small, single house in the facility, she turned to Tamara. “Wait for me here. I’ll go in alone. It might take some time, so make yourself comfortable.”

“Alright,” Tamara replied with a nod. “Call me if you need anything.”

“Okay,” Hadley said absently, her thoughts adrift. Surely, nothing could go wrong during a visit with Nyla.

She knocked lightly and stepped inside. “Nyla, it’s Hadley. I’m here to see you.” Sunlight flooded the room, casting a warm glow across the space, but Nyla was nowhere to be seen. The room felt eerily still, almost deserted. Behind Hadley, the soft click of the door’s lock reverberated in the silence. Hadley spun around, her heart racing. Her eyes widened in alarm as she instinctively stepped back.

Right by the doorway, Linda rested in her wheelchair with a gentle grin and a voice that sounded far too casual. “Look who decided to show up. Nyla stepped out for a check-up. You’ll have to wait.”

“Why are you even here?” Hadley gave her a disgusted look.

Linda tilted her head, clearly entertained. “And why shouldn’t I be? I came to see Nyla. Is that somehow forbidden?”

Choosing not to dignify the remark, Hadley bit her tongue. She could feel in her gut that Linda had a hidden motive.

“What was the reason for locking the door?” Suspicion crept across Hadley’s face as her eyes flicked past Linda. Something in her gut warned her to get out instantly. Without a word, she moved to leave.

“You’re in such a rush,” Linda arched her brow, her smile cutting sharply. Without warning, she added, “Why? Is it because… Elissa’s dead?”

Shock hit Hadley like a punch. Her pupils shrank, and her body stiffened. She stared at Linda, paralyzed by disbelief. Hearing Linda speak of it so openly was something she hadn’t prepared for. Hadley didn’t know what kind of game Linda was playing, but something in her gut told her there was more beneath the surface.

? : ?ν.

Hadley’s lips parted. She had almost called out Tamara’s name without thinking.

“Don’t you dare,” Linda’s voice came out sharp, laced with warning, her teeth clenched tight.

With an intense glare, she leaned closer and spoke slowly, deliberately. “You make a single sound, and this conversation ends. I won’t say another thing.”

The words hit Hadley like a cold wind. She went still, caught off guard.

It wasn’t clear what Linda was getting at. “What are you trying to say?” A part of Hadley couldn’t shake the feeling that Linda might be on the verge of confessing. Maybe she was finally going to admit that she killed Elissa.

“Why do you look so rattled? You’re safe. I’m stuck here with wheels under me. What kind of danger do you think I pose?” Linda threw an exaggerated glance toward the nearby couch and let out a sigh. “Go on. Sit. No need to be tense. Nyla won’t be back for a while—we have all the time in the world.”

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