Chapter 1139

The next morning, Zoey was already awake before the others. She stood at the edge of the clearing, bare feet dug into the soft earth, her back to the fire pit where smoke still rose faintly from last night's embers. The air clung to her skin, humid and heavy, though the sun hadn't yet risen. She wasn't looking at anything in particular, just the trees, the silence between the leaves. But her smile lingered, faint and offbeat, the same curl of the lips that had marked Rose… and then Layla.

Jude rose from the treehouse slowly, careful not to disturb Sophie beside him. He stretched, shook the sleep from his limbs, then descended barefoot into the clearing. He saw Zoey instantly. And when she turned to face him, his stomach twisted. That smile. She didn't try to hide it.

"Morning," she said, voice light and almost musical.

"Early for you," Jude replied, trying to keep his tone casual.

"I didn't sleep much." She tilted her head. "Too much to think about."