Seraphina's Point Of View
"Hey, Ms. Vale."
The world didn't just stop.
It froze.
Like time itself had flinched.
The hum of the lights above me seemed to stretch, thinning into a low, distorted buzz, like reality itself had been pulled too tight.
The air felt heavier, pressing against my chest, refusing to move in or out.
My fingers twitched against the counter, my senses scrambling, grasping for something solid to hold onto.
For half a second… no, longer, everything inside me went dead silent. No thoughts. No sound. No air. Just that voice, curling around my spine like it had always belonged there, like it had been waiting years just to say my name again.
Please, no.
My stomach dropped violently, heat flashing cold through my veins. I knew that voice. I knew the way it carried just enough arrogance to sound amused, just enough familiarity to feel invasive.
It echoed with memories I'd buried deep, memories that had no business clawing their way back now.
