Hailey’s POV
I tried to calm myself, but the uneasiness refused to fade. It lingered in my chest, heavy and suffocating, as though something invisible had wrapped itself around me and refused to let go. I stood in the middle of the living room for a long moment, staring down at the delicate gold necklace now resting in my palm.
Just minutes ago, it had been sitting against my skin, presented as a symbol of family acceptance. Now it felt like something else entirely, something invasive, something dangerous.
My fingers trembled slightly as I examined it more closely. The design was flawless, too precise, too perfect. And then I saw it again, that tiny, almost invisible seam near the clasp. My breath hitched as realization settled in deeper.
“They’re watching me,” I whispered to myself,
