Sarah remained completely motionless, buried in a suffocating silence. She didn't speak a word, nor did she dare to look in his direction. Every breath felt like a monumental effort, and when she tried to swallow, her throat constricted so tightly that the simple act felt like dragging jagged thorns down her esophagus. The air inside the luxury sedan was thick, stagnant, and poisoned by an unspoken tension that had been brewing between them for miles.
After what felt like an agonizing eternity, the vehicle slowed to a smooth halt as the traffic light ahead shifted to a stark, glowing red. The sudden lack of motion shattered the fragile stillness. Sarah drew in a deep, shaky breath, holding the air in her lungs for a lingering second as if trying to anchor her soaring pulse, before slowly turning her head toward Jayden.
"Please... pull over up ahead and let me out," she whispered.
