Olive – POV
It had been three days.
Three long, suffocating, heart-crushing days since I left the packhouse. And not once had Jace come looking for me.
Not a text. Not a call. Not even a mindlink.
I couldn’t believe it. Deep down, I kept expecting the doorbell to ring, to hear his voice outside the house, demanding to see me, apologizing, begging even. But there was nothing. Just silence.
Worse than rejection was being forgotten.
Jennifer had been my anchor, offering silent comfort and warm meals. Tobi, though… he was different. Something in him had shifted. He was tense, almost always on edge. I’d catch him staring off into space, his fists clenched, like he was bracing himself for something terrible.
“Are you okay?” I asked him one afternoon, while he lingered at the kitchen count
