Chapter 49 Hannah

• Serenity barely heard the knock at the door before it creaked open. She had been lying on her couch for what felt like hours—days, maybe. Time had blurred together into an endless loop of sleepless nights, swollen eyes, and the dull ache in her chest that refused to fade. She didn’t need to turn her head to know who it was. The worried voices, the heavy footsteps, the scent of home that clung to them—it was her parents.
• Her mother gasped, a sharp intake of breath that spoke volumes. “Oh, Serenity…”
• She rolled her eyes. “Don’t start, Mom.”