CHAPTER FIFTY – THE MISSING PHONE

As the night wore on, sleep offered no solace. Her mind replayed the events – the fear, the comfort, and ultimately, the disappointment. Dawn finally broke, painting the sky with streaks of pink and orange, but it brought no answers. Exhausted but wired, Scarlett stared blankly at the ceiling. The world outside seemed to be moving on, oblivious to the turmoil within her. A knock on the door startled her out of her reverie. It was Clara, her face a picture of concern. "How are you feeling today?" Clara asked, her voice a welcome interruption to the suffocating silence. Scarlett forced a smile. "Better," she lied. "Just a little… restless." They spent the next few hours talking, catching up on lost time. Clara recounted the chaos that had ensued after Scarlett's disappearance, the worry everyone had felt. As they talked, Scarlett kept her emotions in check, a prisoner of Mr. Stone's secrecy. The day wore on, a parade of well-wishers filing in and out of the room. But all Scarlett co