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Chapter 7

Author: Ella7
last update Last Updated: 2024-12-01 23:57:39
I couldn’t sleep all night. Tossing and turning, I lay in the massive bed that seemed too soft, too unfamiliar. Finally, I pulled the blankets to the floor, wrapping myself there, hoping it might feel closer to the small, rough bed I was used to. But even then, sleep stayed away as though I were in a race with it, one I was destined to lose.

The night felt like a strange paradox—both dragging and fleeting. The stars hung for what seemed an eternity, but the first light of dawn felt like it arrived far too soon. And when it did, my stomach tightened, reminding me that today would be decisive. Whatever Ryker had planned for me would start to unfold.

In the early morning silence, I heard footsteps stop outside my door. My heart pounded in my chest, and I didn’t dare breathe. The steps paused for a heartbeat too long, then retreated. Only after they faded completely did I let out the breath I’d been holding and scrambled back into the bed, desperately straightening the blankets on the
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