Chapter Thirty-Five: A Storm Brewing
Rachel woke up early, her body aching with the weight of unspoken emotions. The night had been long and sleepless. She tried to forget the unanswered call, the unfamiliar voice on the other end of the line, and Nathaniel’s absence. But forgetting was never easy when your heart was involved.
She stood in front of the mirror, tying her hair up into a neat ponytail before applying light makeup—just enough to hide the puffiness around her eyes and the deep shadows beneath them. She painted on a smile, fixed her blouse, and grabbed her bag.
She would get through the day. She had to.
When she arrived at the office, Nathaniel’s room was still dark. He wasn’t there.
Odd. He was always early. Always precise with time. It was already 7:10 AM.
Rachel busied
