Raya didn't stop walking until she reached the garden.
The cool evening air rushed against her flushed skin, carrying the sweet scent of night-blooming jasmine and damp earth, but it did nothing to calm the violent storm raging inside her chest. Her steps, which had been fast and angry at first, gradually slowed as she moved deeper into the beautifully manicured space. Flowers bloomed in quiet elegance along the winding paths, trimmed hedges stood like silent, watchful guards, and soft golden lights glowed gently along the stone pathways, casting long, dancing shadows.
Everything around her was peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Like the world itself was mocking the chaos tearing through her heart.
