Chapter 49

**Aria’s POV**

Sophia rested her chin on her delicate hand, a mischievous glimmer dancing in her eyes as she regarded me. Her anticipation was palpable, a silent acknowledgment of the turmoil she was stirring within me. I felt as if time had paused, my feet seemingly rooted to the ground, unable to move in the face of her gaze.

The spare room before me was a chaotic jumble, a veritable graveyard of forgotten items and discarded memories. It resembled a storage facility more than a sanctuary, and the sight of it sent a sharp pang of frustration through my chest. The heat of anger began to rise within me, a familiar fire igniting the blood coursing through my veins.

Margaret, ever the observer, shot me a sidelong glance. The flicker of concern in her eyes was fleeting, quickly replaced by a dismissive shrug. “It’s just a place to sleep. Just a few days. You’re not that delicate.”

Not that delicate.

Those words echoed in my mind, a bitter reminder of my perceived fragility. I clenched my jaw, my fingers tightening around the handle of my suitcase. It felt heavier than it should have, a physical manifestation of the burdens I carried. But it wasn’t merely the weight that troubled me; it was the pattern of my life, the cruel familiarity of it all.

It was happening again.