Chapter 33: Learning to Breathe Again
The Hamptons in April should have been the most soothing place on the East Coast, but for Scarlett, the silence of this magnificent villa sometimes felt like a double edged sword. On one hand, she felt protected by the high walls and the strict security Julian had ordered. On the other, the profound stillness often invited voices into her head, the creak of a warehouse door, Joshua's raspy laugh, and the sound of footsteps chasing her through a Philadelphia labyrinth.
That morning, Scarlett sat in a wicker chair on the second floor terrace, staring at the horizon where the sea met the sky. She wore Julian's oversized knit cardigan, whose scent, a blend of sandalwood and the lingering notes of expensive cologne, had become the only oxygen that kept her from feeling suffocated.
"Scarlett?"
