furniture, the way Ethan looked at her - it all felt unreal. He'd said he'd show her a different world, and f

ator, her phone buzzed. It

" Sarah's voice was bubbly and full of life, a st

Towers," Elena said, he

e tech king? You're gonna have to spill the beans

wouldn't approve. Sarah, with her strong sense of justice and her independent sp

d," Elena said,

on, girl, spill the tea!" Sarah's voice was playful,

o avoid the conversation. She just needed t

ing. "Just promise you'll call me later. A

forting sense of love and support. Sarah was

etal walls. Her eyes looked tired, her face etched with the weight of her situation. She needed to get

r mind. Ethan's words echoed in her ears. "I want to show you

he allure. He was right, she

ion, hoping for some distraction. But the news, the reality shows, the comme

led with books and family photos. Her mother was sleep

mother's arm, a comforting touch. She longed for the days

if this dangerous game was the only way to save her mother's life. But as she look

ob to go to, a life to manage, a mother to care for. But all she could

rking on a new ad campaign for a local coffee shop, but all she could see was the lux

one, to get an outside perspective. She needed to kno

dialed Sarah's number, hoping

sked, her voice full of concern. "I was wo

her voice a sigh. "I.

usly? What happened?" Sarah's voic

ds. She couldn't tell Sarah the whole story,

ed," Elena said, her v

me on, girl, tell me!" Sarah's voice was playful, bu

onight," Elena said, her

rah's voice was filled with alarm. "You don't know this g

er voice a sigh. "But..

h asked, her voice a mix

ind the words to explain, trying to f

ce a whisper. "She's sick. Ve

a moment, the silen

rm, "I don't know what to say. But you hav

r voice a whisper. "But

she said, her voice a gentle reminder. "Just re

as her anchor, her support, her beacon in the darkness. She was her best friend,

tion. Her eyes, once bright and hopeful, now looked tired, haunted by the shadows of her sit

n, to face him, to understand the world he offered, the

ike a million fireflies, Elena felt a sense of trepidation. She

doing it for

e face of Ethan's allure, or will she succum