, legs giving out like they'd turned to soggy noodles. Her hands? Shaking so bad she could barely keep them in her lap
seless. Honestly, she felt hollowed out, just a shell with empty eyes staring at t
trying to crawl inside her lungs. The building... calling it a building feels like a sick joke, 'cause all that's left is a pile of blackened, twisted
en supposed to do now? Those questions just s
it like this? It hurt in ways she didn't even know were possible. The ashes fe
urs outside surgery, pacing, praying, mind racing a million miles an hour with everything that could go wrong. And when the doctor fina
king through a storm cloud. In all this mess, she still had her dad. That kind of hope-may
ake up from. The place-her dad's supermarket-looked like some dead thing, all bones and ashes. Employee
lding into a fire buffet, flames chewing up every aisle and corner like it was personal.
th one of his right-hand guys. Then, bam-he just dropped, grabbing his
was chaos, everyone running around, and after a blur of way-too-bright lights and
t her all at once, like a punch in the gut: no wonder her dad's heart gave out. Who wouldn't crtape fluttered in the wind, like that could keep the disaster from spreading any further. Elena just stared, hollow
ld feel them breathing down your neck, even if they barely glanced your way. Out of nowhere, Elena caught
her up. Every muscle in her body screamed, but the real anchor was all th
s inner circle-old-school loyal, but his voice wob
y. "So, what happened?" She shot him a lo
started the fire, Miss," the co
the drill. No point in throwing a fit an
rief you on what's been lost," the guy said, tip
bite in her voice. Her head pounded-damn near splitting in t
some battered café, just across from what used to be the
the guy mumbled, try
he cop and the fireman exchanged a quick look, did the whole professional nod thi
t, what was left to say? They walked in out of the mess and into this weird little bubble of light and warmth. Wh
tey, the kind of smell that hugs your brain for a second and then poof, gone, because, well, reality is a jerk sometimes. It should've felt cozy, but the whole café was ki
else are you supposed to do right now?-and sank into
oft, like he already knew the answe
id, flat out, voice not even shaking, just wo
when, honestly, her life just imploded. Nah. Elena wasn't going to slap on a smile and pretend for anyone's com
a handful of gravel. Regret just oozed from the guy-probably picturing himself out on
hed tight enough to leave little crescent moons in her palms. "You didn't do anything wrong. Thanks for caring, seriously.
on her nerves. Spoiler: it didn't. Sure, the heat felt nice for a seco
he store. We've got nothing left to sell. Worse-most of the stuff belonged to suppliers we haven't even paid yet. It's a mess, Miss. Big one." He slid a
e papers. "Wait, where'd you even
calling. Mad as hell, too. Sent over all
an the last. Her jaw tightened. She wanted to scream or throw the coffee mug or,
ightbulb going off, but y'know, the kind that flickers and makes you uneasy. "Hold up. Where's the finance lad
stared at the cheap tabletop, suddenly f
off. With all the s
d there, blinking, wondering if this was some ki
f it?" Her voice was shaky and weirdly tiny, th
rug out from under her, and now she was just free-falling. All the cra
iled off, barely more than a whisper, her breath catching. She could f
red beneath her feet. Every ounce of responsibility
move, how to start fixing this mess. For the fi
contin