Chapter 238 Looks Matter

• Ariana's POV:
• The door eased open, its hinges groaning in protest. Footsteps hovered at the threshold, unmoving, uncertain. Then, after a moment's hesitation, they retreated. The door closed again, the latch settling into place with a quiet finality.
• I pushed back the covers, staring at the ceiling. The stillness pressed down on me. So, this was what it felt like—when the weight in your chest refused to lift, when sleep became a distant thing, out of reach.