Page 62 of In Shadows We Dance

“Darling!” Her face fills the screen, perfectly curated, every hair in place. “Your father and I were just thinking about you.”

“Were you?” My tone is flat as I continue up the stairs. The dark emptiness of the house looms behind me, and I angle the phone to let her see. “That’s new.”

She laughs, the sound hollow, like everything else about her. “Don’t be dramatic, sweetheart. We think about you all the time.”

“Between board meetings and galas?” I push open my bedroom door. “How thoughtful.”

“Now, Wren.” Her voice carries that age-old patience, like I’m a child throwing a tantrum. “You know how important this expansion is for the company. We wouldn’t have left you alone if?—”

“If what? If it wasn’t convenient? If it wasn’t beneficial? You’ve been doing it for years. Why stop now?”

A flicker of annoyance crosses her perfect features. “We’ll be home for Christmas.”

“It’s October.”

“Well, yes, but?—”

“Don’t bother on my account.” I drop onto the edge of my bed. “I’m sure something important will come up.”

She sighs, the sound heavy with forced concern. “Darling, I know it’sdifficult?—”

“No, you don’t.” My voice is quiet, cold. “You have no idea.”

“Wren—”

“I find my own entertainment.” The words come out before I can stop them, and her brows draw together, unease flashing in her eyes.

“Entertainment?” Her voice hardens. “You’re not causing trouble again, are you?”

My lips curve into a smile, my mind turning to Ileana. The look in her eyes, the way she trembled when I touched her, the way she’ll dance for me again soon. “Define trouble.”

“Wren—”

“I have to go.” I hang up before she can respond.

She won’t try again, not until she remembers she has a son, months from now, when the guilt sets in. Part of me feels liberated by their absence, the freedom to do as I please without their judgment. But another part, a darker part, can't help but resent the way they've abandoned me, the way they've left me to fend for myself, pretending it's all for my benefit.

One call, one attempt at being a mother, and she’ll think she’s done enough. My father will pat her on the back, tell her she’s trying, and transfer more money into my account.

I stand, and move to the desk where my laptop sits. The feeds are live, every camera showing me my world, my control. I adjust a few angles, ensuring no blind spots, no chance for error.

Tomorrow, I’ll track every breath, every step. I’ll chase her until there’s nowhere left to run.

CHAPTER 33

Breaking Invisible

ILEANA

Saturday stretches outbefore me like a blank canvas, empty and waiting. No school means no Wren, and while the thought should fill me with relief, it doesn’t. Restlessness churns beneath my skin, like an itch I can’t reach, a constant buzz that refuses to be quiet.

In the kitchen, my dad hands me a grocery list. Mom asks me to pick up some books from the library. I nod along with their voices, pretending this is just another ordinary day. Pretending that the past week hasn’t changed me in ways I don’t think I can ever come back from.

Normal. Safe. That’s what this is.

After breakfast, I change into jeans, a T-shirt, and my hoodie. I pull the hood up to cover my head. Sneakers on, I head out, letting the door click shut behind me.

The walk downtown feels different today. My eyes dart around, scanning the faces of strangers, searching for something, orsomeone, I hope not to find. I keep to the busier streets, avoiding the shortcuts I usually take. My senses feel heightened, every sound amplified, every movement demanding my focus. Like how the coffee shop window catches my reflection, showing a girl trying too hard to disappear. I pause, staring at myself.

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