At the Bottom of the Stairs

DAPHNE

I was heading to the kitchen to get a glass of water. My throat had felt dry for a while, and I figured maybe moving around a little would help clear my head. Everything had been spinning since that call with Dominic. I hadn’t even fully processed what he said—or rather didn’t say. My chest still felt tight, like my heart was stuck in my throat.

But as I turned into the hallway near the sta