Alayna's father, Samuel, drove her to a modern, high-rise apartment building near the Berkeley campus.
"I bought this place for you," he said, handing her a set of keys. "It's close to school, and it's safe."
The apartment was spacious and filled with light, with a balcony that overlooked the city. It was more than she could have ever imagined.
"Dad, this is too much," she said, overwhelmed.
"Nonsense," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "You're my daughter. You deserve the best." He then handed her another set of keys. "These are for the beach house in Malibu and the cabin at Lake Tahoe. They're yours. Go whenever you want. You have your freedom now."
He looked at her, his expression serious. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you more when you were growing up, Alayna. I regret it every day."
Alayna thought about her childhood. Her mother had always wanted her to be a certain way, to fit into the wealthy society of the Sheppard family. Her father, on the other hand, just wanted her to be happy.
She remembered the feeling of being abandoned after the divorce, how she had clung to Jarrett like a piece of driftwood in a storm. He was the only stability she had.
"It's okay, Dad," she said, comforting him. "The past is the past. We're here now."
She settled into her new apartment, a sense of peace and independence washing over her. For the first time in her life, she felt truly free.
That night, exhausted from the travel and the emotional turmoil of the past few weeks, she decided to take a long bath. The warm water was soothing, and she accidentally fell asleep in the tub.
She woke up hours later, shivering. The water was cold, and she felt a deep chill in her bones. She got out, dried off, and went to bed, but she couldn't get warm.
By morning, she had a high fever. She felt dizzy and weak.
She thought about calling her father, but she didn't want to worry him. She had just arrived. She wanted to show him she was independent.
She decided to go to the campus health clinic herself.
She got dressed, her head spinning. As she left her apartment, she felt a wave of dizziness and stumbled, bumping into someone who was just getting out of the elevator.
"I'm so sorry," she mumbled, trying to steady herself.
But the world was already going black.
