Mariana’s double life sits at the heart of this book. Outwardly, she exists as a respectable professional—an accountant with a carefully curated normalcy. Inwardly, she is trapped within a criminal system she cannot simply walk away from. Her captivity is not defined by chains, but by knowledge, obligation, and fear. It is a far more realistic—and disturbing—portrayal of entrapment than the dramatic escapes often offered by dark romance.