Chapter 118

Sofia. I sat in the dimly lit room, my knees pulled to my chest, my arms wrapped tightly around them. My entire body ached—not from injury, not from exhaustion, but from the sheer weight of helplessness pressing down on me. Every second that passed without news was another sharp twist of the knife lodged in my chest. I managed to get some sleep at least. I had no phone. No way to reach them. No way to know if they were safe or if— No. I couldn’t let myself go there. But the thoughts came anyway, relentless and cruel. My parents. My brothers. My babies. God, my babies. Were they scared? Were they calling for me? Did they think I abandoned them? A sob tore through my throat before I could stop it. I clamped a hand over my mouth, my whole body trembling. I couldn’t breathe. I needed air, I needed out, I needed— Arsen. He was watching me, his face drawn, his brows furrowed in concern. I hadn’t even noticed him move closer, hadn’t realized I wasn’t alone in this suffocating darkness. “Sofia