The next day dawned with a sense of surrealism, as if the events of the past few days had unfolded in some distant dream. I went through the motions of getting ready for work, the familiar routine providing a semblance of normalcy amidst the chaos that had engulfed my life.
As I emerged from my bedroom, I found Aria perched on the couch, her attention fixated on the news playing in the background. The sound of the anchor's voice filled the room, a constant reminder of the storm that had yet to abate.
"They've completely spun a new narrative," Aria declared, her eyes glued to the screen. "They're calling you a hero, Evie. Saying that you saved Timothy's family from ruin by taking down the 'Black Widow'."
I felt a flush of embarrassment creep up my neck, my cheeks burning with shame at th
