My heel landed on a loose rock.
The world lurched.
Before I could catch myself, gravity pulled me forward. My breath hitched, panic spiking in my chest.
Then, impact.
I crashed against a large tree, the force sending pain ricocheting through my spine. A deep bruise bloomed across my lower back, but worse than that, my ankle twisted at an unnatural angle.
A sharp cry tore from my lips.
The freezing night pressed in from all sides. My trembling hands clutched the bark for support, but the pain only deepened, sinking its claws into my bones.
I had no choice.
With shaking fingers, I removed my heels and took a step forward.
Agony.
Each step on the gravel was like walking on shattered glass, every sharp stone a blade cutting into my bare skin.
The farther I went, the more unbearable it became. Finally, a sob broke free. And once it did, I couldn’t stop.
By the time I reached the bottom of the mountain, my face was streaked with tears; my makeup was smudged beyond recognition.
Even the taxi driver hesitated before unlocking the door, his wary gaze flickering over me as if he had seen a ghost in the dead of night.
And still, Mathias hadn’t returned a single call. I barely remembered the ride home.