CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO - A WHISPER IN THE DARK

    Nia stared at the message, a mix of emotions swirling in her chest. After a long moment, she replied with a simple "OK." The next evening, as Nia clocked off from work, she felt a knot of anxiety forming in her stomach. The drive to her parents' house in Manhattan seemed both too long and too short. As she pulled up to the modest two-story building with its peeling paint, memories of happier times flooded back, quickly followed by the pain of recent years. Nia sat in her car for a moment, gathering her courage. She checked her reflection in the rearview mirror, adjusting her blouse nervously before finally stepping out and approaching the front door. Her knuckles had barely grazed the wood when the door swung open, revealing her mother, Elena. The older woman's face was a mask of conflicting emotions – hope, wariness, and a flicker of the warmth Nia remembered from her childhood. "Nia," Elena said, her voice soft. "Come in, mija." Nia stepped into the familiar living room, i