Juliette:
The gym was quieter than usual when I walked in. Maybe it was the early hour—barely six—or maybe it was just the heavy silence hanging in the air like a weight. Either way, it felt… off.
Maddox wasn’t there.
I lingered near the entrance longer than I wanted to admit, scanning the room for his familiar hoodie, that easy grin, those knowing eyes that always made the rest of the world blur. But there was no sign of him.
He hadn’t texted. No “on my way” or “running late.” Nothing.
I hesitated before finally stepping onto the treadmill. Maybe he was just sleeping in. Maybe he needed space. Maybe he…
Don’t go there, Jules.
I set my pace and slipped my earbuds in, letting the steady beat of music push everything else to the back of my mind. Step. Breathe. Push. The rhythm gr
