The night was thick with silence. Not a soul roamed the streets as Kane gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white, his foot slamming the accelerator to the floor. The black sedan tore through the darkness, his breath coming in short, ragged bursts.
He punched the wheel. Hard.
The sudden buzz of his phone cut through the stillness. He answered without checking the screen.
"Kane?" Jennifer’s voice trembled on the other end. "Did you find Julia? What did she say? Is she—does she forgive us?"
His jaw clenched, voice tight. "She’s always been kind," he said, struggling to keep his emotions from fracturing. "Maybe she just... needs time."
"It's all my fault," Jennifer sobbed. "I—I even slapped her that day... She must hate me now. She must hate both of us."
He closed his eyes, the gui
