Chapter 201

I left the living room and returned to the guest bedroom, locking the door behind me. Only in moments like this could I truly relax. Collapsing onto the bed, I let all the tension drain from my body. The pain in my abdomen grew more intense. I curled into myself, trying to ease the discomfort, but it only seemed to get worse. Soon, beads of sweat formed on my forehead, soaking through my clothes. I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but eventually, I drifted off into a hazy sleep. … Downstairs, Sophia watched as Joshua slowly ascended the stairs, one step at a time. She opened her mouth, wanting to call out, but hesitated. She didn't know what to say, so she remained silent, watching until he disappeared around the corner at the top of the stairs. She let out a quiet sigh, her thoughts circling back to what Louie had told her earlier—that she was the source of Joshua's emotional turmoil. Her first thought had been to have Louie hypnotize him, to erase all his painful memor