Sage pov
Mark stared at me like I had just said the most absurd thing in the world. His green eyes darkened, his jaw tensed, and I could see the struggle in him—the war raging inside his head.
I had just told him I was in love with him.
And he didn’t say a damn thing.
The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. My chest tightened. My fingers curled into fists at my sides as I waited.
For what? A confession? A rejection? Anything?
But Mark just stood there, looking at me like I was something he wanted but knew he shouldn’t touch. I swallowed hard.
Then I laughed.
It was short, bitter, and it burned in my throat.
“I get it,” I said, my voice shaking. “You don’t have to say anything.”
Mark’s expression remained unreadable. I turned on my heel. Maybe t
