Isabella’s POV
The silence stretches too long.
I check the time again. Mia’s been gone for nearly fifteen minutes. She said it was just the parking garage, just a quick check, just in case someone triggered her car alarm. But even quick checks shouldn’t take this long.
I shift on the waiting room seat, trying to quiet the storm building in my chest. The hum of vending machines. The occasional shuffle of nurses down the hall. But no sign of her.
Something’s not right.
I stand, gripping the strap of my purse tighter than necessary. She told me to stay here, but my feet have already started moving. The elevator’s slow, so I take the stairs two at a time, my heartbeat matching each hurried step. By the time I reach the garage, my palms are sweaty again.
I spot her near the far end, keys
