Chapter 7

KIMBERLY POV

Leonardo didn’t return for a week, leaving me alone in this room with nothing but my thoughts and memories.

I couldn’t sleep—every time I closed my eyes, images of Lan and my father drifted in, like ghosts I couldn’t escape. I stared at the ceiling until it blurred. My tears had run dry days ago, but the ache lingered, heavy and dull.

With a sigh, I got up and stretched. Staying confined made no sense. Leonardo forbade me from roaming freely, but what was the point of this so-called tour if I stayed locked inside?

Dressed in a pair of bum shorts and a faded T-shirt, I doubted anyone could call me provocative. Slipping through the door, I wandered outside, craving air—freedom. The night was cool, the sky stretched wide and endless above me. For a moment, I let my guard down, tilting my face toward the stars.

Then, I heard it.

A loud screech tore through the stillness, and my stomach dropped.

Leonardo. He’s back.

Panic twisted in my chest. There was no way I co