I run without looking back. The night wraps around me, cold and unrelenting, but the burn in my chest drives me forward. Victoria's words echo in my mind, each one a dagger twisting deeper.
"You think you're special because you're pregnant?"
My breath catches as I stumble over a loose stone on the path, barely catching myself. Tears blur my vision, but I keep going. My legs feel heavy, my body screaming for rest, but I can't stop. If I stop, the weight of her words will crush me.
The estate gates loom ahead, their iron bars cold and imposing. I slip through the opening and find myself on a quiet street. The glow of a distant streetlamp flickers, casting shadows on the pavement. I look around, lost and desperate, before spotting a small motel across the road.
The neon sign buzzes faintly, its light cutting through the darkness. My feet carry me there, though I barely register the movement.
