I should have stayed home.
Maybe if I'd listened to that tiny, stubborn knot of uneasiness sitting under my ribs since morning, none of this would have happened. But I kept telling myself I needed to show up. I needed to be present. I needed to remind myself that I was more than panic, more than stress, more than the shadows breathing down our walls.
So I went.
A socialite entrepreneur event — harmless enough. Networking, champagne without the alcohol, influencers, business owners, young founders. The type of crowd that usually loved my brand. The type of crowd that would normally hype the bakery, smile at my bump, tell me motherhood looked good on me.
But tonight felt different from the moment I stepped in.
The room was bright, buzzing with a soft symphony of chatter and music, but underneath it all, something felt… off. Like a violin string pulled too tight. Too thin.
Tomas was glued to my side. He didn't even hide it.
