Chapter 80 — Valeria’s Downfall

The rearview mirror reflected an image I didn’t recognize. Bulging eyes, parched lips… a woman who was no longer me. Or maybe she always had been.

The black car roared beneath my trembling hands as the city filled with sirens and flashing blue lights. I could feel the police closing in like invisible blades—every traffic light a potential trap.

“They’re going to catch me,” I thought, and for the first time, I let the fear settle in.

But before I could fully gi