#Chapter 76: Cruel Awakening

Panic surged within me, my mind racing through a series of possibilities. Had someone broken in and taken it? Did Aria know what had happened? I fought to keep my thoughts from spiraling into a whirlwind of worst-case scenarios, but the anxiety that gripped me was hard to ignore. I rushed from room to room, my search growing more frantic with each passing moment. My calls for Aria went unanswered, the only response the haunting echo of my own voice. Tears stung my eyes as I stood in the center of the living room, the weight of the situation sinking in. After gaining some fame, there were probably quite a few people who had a personal vendetta against me. Bruce was a given, although his whereabouts were unknown. There was also Stella, who I hadn’t seen since the trial. The sound of the front door creaking open pulled me from my distressing thoughts, and I turned to see Aria stepping in, a puzzled look on her face. "Hey, Evie, what's with all the-” Before she could finish her sente