Chapter 46

OLIVIA’S POV Darkness. I was running barefoot through the forest, branches clawing at my arms, thorns scraping against my ankles, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Somewhere ahead, a child was crying—shrill, panicked wails that echoed through the trees and pierced straight into my soul. My legs burned with exhaustion, but I pushed harder, desperate to reach that sound. Through the thick fog and underbrush, I finally saw them—a shadowy figure disappearing between the trees, a tiny bundle cradled in their arms. My child. I don’t know how I knew, but I knew—that baby was mine. That cry, it tore me apart. “Stop!” I screamed, my voice cracking as I stumbled after them. “Give me my baby!” The figure moved faster, slipping between trees like a phantom. I chased blindly, tears streaming down my cheeks, ignoring the sharp branches slicing into my skin. “Please!” I sobbed. “That’s my baby! Please—come back!” They didn’t stop. But I did. Only for a second. Because I saw them turn back, just slightly