Kimberly
I took a deep breath and steadied myself before stepping out of my room. My heart still pounded from the whirlwind of thoughts that had consumed me, but I forced my expression to remain calm and composed.
If I wanted to make it out of this, I couldn’t afford to let Kendrick suspect anything.
As I walked down the long, grand hallway toward the dining room, I replayed my strategy in my head.
I needed to gain his trust—enough for him to let his guard down, enough for him to allow me the freedom to move around on my own. If I acted too eager, he’d know something was off. But if I played this right, if I proved to him that I was compliant, he would loosen his grip.
And that was when I would make my move.
When I reached the dining hall, I found Kendrick already seated at the hea
