Chapter 78

The insistent ringing of the doorbell shattered the quiet. Each chime pierced the air like an unrelenting demand for attention, more determined than the last. At first, I stayed put, trying to get away from the disturbance. Whoever it was would get the message—I wasn’t in the mood for visitors, not today, not any day. But the ringing continued, persistent and grating, like a mosquito buzzing in the dead of night. Thirty minutes of this? They weren’t just being annoying—they were challenging my patience. Finally, with a sharp sign that felt as heavy as my exhaustion, I stomped to the door. My footsteps were loud against the hardwood floor, each one echoing the irritation bubbling in my chest. When I yanked the door open, the sight before me made my breath catch for just a fraction of a second.