45
~Bella's POV
The second I stepped out of the cab, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
I hesitated, my fingers hovering over the device as a deep sigh slipped past my lips. My body ached from exhaustion, my mind clouded with too many thoughts, too many worries clawing at me from every direction. I already knew what it would be—another bill, another deadline, another weight pressing down on my shoulders, crushing me inch by inch.
Bracing myself, I finally pulled the phone out and glanced at the screen.
The moment I saw the words flashing back at me, my breath hitched.
Mom's Death Anniversary.
A reminder I had set years ago. One I never needed—because how could I forget?
Everything around me blurred. The distant honking of cars, the muffled chatter of pedestrians walking past, the dull hum of the city—all of it faded into a quiet, suffocating stillness.
