Aaina shut her laptop after double-checking her security measures. Her fingers lingered on the lid for a moment before she leaned back against the sofa, exhaling slowly. The silence in the room felt unnatural, pressing against her like a weight.

She exhaled slowly, forcing the unease down, and walked to the window, pushing the curtain aside just enough to peek outside. Empty. Still. Everything appeared normal—but her instincts whispered otherwise.