Forty nine

The night sky was a blanket of deep indigo, punctuated by the dim twinkle of distant stars. The ocean, stretching endlessly before Sunny, mirrored the heavens above, with the occasional ripple of waves shimmering under the moonlight. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of salt and the distant sound of waves crashing softly against the shore.

Sunny stood on the edge of a rocky cliff, staring out at the dark expanse of the sea. Her heart was heavy, a throbbing pain that resonated with every beat. The ocean, so vast and seemingly endless, felt like a perfect reflection of the turmoil inside her. She had left Judy, her best friend, in a way that felt so cruel, so final. The memory of Judy’s shocked heartbroken face haunted her, the hurt in her eyes as she walked away still burning in her mind.

She had told herself it was for Judy’s safety, for the safety of the Santos family, Rico, Rosa and everyone in the mansion and perhaps, in a way, for her own as well. But that reasoning felt