Chapter 5

Just ten more minutes to go.

A narrow strip of light peeked through the crack under the storage room door.

I was curled up behind an old velvet makeup mirror, my knees jammed against a rock-hard box of mothballs, the plastic film biting into my calves until they went numb.

I kept my breathing barely audible, with my tongue pressed to the roof of my mouth, blocking any hint of breath.

From the hallway outside, the sound of footsteps in heels was getting closer and closer.

But these weren't Vivian's usual stilettos.

This time, she was wearing flats.

Each step…