Eleanor’s fingers tightened around the edges of her phone, her knuckles turning white as she hesitated. The phone rang persistently, yet she did not press the answer button. It rang and rang, a constant, buzzing reminder of something she wasn’t ready to face.
Jack, sensing the tension, glanced at her and asked softly, “Why don’t you answer the call?”
Eleanor’s lips pressed into a thin line. After a moment of silence, she exhaled sharply and said, “It’s just a nuisance call.” Her voice was calm, almost too calm, but the underlying unease was hard to miss.
With a sudden and decisive movement, Eleanor pressed the hang-up button, cutting off the call before she could second-guess herself. The ringing stopped abruptly, leaving behind an eerie silence.