Lydia's hands were trembling as she held the parchment.
At first, she thought maybe she was imagining things. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her. But no. It was there. Written in ink, in cold, clear words. Words that made her whole world shake.
Her fingers went numb. The edges of the parchment dug into her skin, but she barely noticed. Her eyes ran over the words again and again, refusing to believe them. It was as if someone had pulled the ground from under her. Her legs felt hollow. Her heart? A cracked shell.
A soft, broken sound escaped her lips. It wasn't even a cry—it was just air, escaping a body too full of pain. She blinked once, then again, but the words stayed there, haunting her, mocking her. Her throat felt tight, like something invisible was choking her from the inside.
