C5 The Gilded Cage Closes

(POV: Isabela Montoya)

My heart jolted, then started hammering hard against my ribs—a desperate rhythm suddenly loud in the thick silence left behind by Quino’s voice calling my name. Papa wants to see you. Now. The impatience in his tone, the sharp edge of finality – it wasn’t just about finding brochures. This was something else. Something significant. Something dreadful