Chapter Twenty-three: Cravings and Distractions
The ride home felt longer than usual. Rachel sat quietly in the back of Nathaniel’s car, her head resting against the window as the world blurred past. Jonas, ever the considerate driver, didn’t say much—just adjusted the temperature slightly and drove smoothly.
Rachel’s thoughts were a chaotic mess. She tried to focus on something—anything—other than the gnawing discomfort in her stomach and the strange heaviness in her limbs. All she could think about was ice cream. Specifically, banana ice cream.
She groaned softly. “Why now?” she murmured to herself.
Earlier that afternoon, the office had been its usual whirlwind of schedules and professional talk. Everything was fine—until Marcus walked in with a smile and a bag of freshly fried empa
