By nightfall, they reached a small cabin glowing with firelight. The scent of coffee and burning wood filled the air, tugging at memories Ligia thought she’d buried forever… memories of a time she believed life could be warm.
“You can sit,” the man said, setting down two mugs. “You’re safe here. There’s nobody else.”
He paused, then said the sentence that made Ligia’s heartbeat slam against her ribs:
“You can take the sack off now.”
Her hands started to shake.
For years, she’d been trained to fear this moment. Conditioned to believe that once someone saw her, they’d flinch, recoil, laugh… toss her back like spoiled goods.
Slowly, Ligia lifted her hands toward the rough fabric.
Her fingers hovered at the knot.
She swallowed hard.
Because if the town was right… this was where she’d be rejected all over again.
But if the town was lying…
Then the entire life they stole from her was about to collapse in one breath.
And the man sitting across from her… was about to be more shocked than anyone.
