Chapter 22

• Chapter 22: Persuading Him
• The alarm buzzes sharp at 6 a.m., slicing through the stillness of the room like a blade through silk.
• Lena groans, her consciousness reluctantly surfacing from the shallow depths of fitful sleep. She slams her hand over the sound, fingers fumbling to silence the intrusion, and rolls over with a heavy sigh that seems to come from somewhere deep within her chest. The curtains in her room—expensive yet somehow inadequate—barely hold back the early morning sun. Thin beams sneak through the slits where the fabric meets, painting soft golden lines across the polished hardwood floor. Morning has arrived with its persistent optimism whether she likes it or not.