Zoe's POV
Morning came too fast. I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Casey's face—her smug smile, her voice whispering threats into my ears like poison. Or worse, I remembered the anonymous texts: "Sweet dreams, Zoe." Just thinking about it tightened my stomach.
I sat up slowly on the hotel bed, staring at the pale sunlight spilling through the curtains of the suite. Lakeside looked gray outside: cold and foggy, as if the city itself was holding its breath for tonight—Fashion Fest Day, the final night. A night I had waited for so long. The night that was supposed to change my life. Instead, it felt like the beginning of my destruction.
I rubbed my eyes tiredly and glanced at the clock. It was 7:12 AM. The suite was already buzzing with activity outside my room. I could hear Ashley talking loudly somewhere in the kitchen area, drawers opening, hangers clinking, and footsteps rushing around.
