Chapter 56 - Between the Lines

Orion’s POV

The aroma of fresh coffee and scrambled eggs filled the dining room, masking the tension that had settled in the air like an uninvited guest. I sat at the head of the table, nursing a cup of coffee that had long gone cold.

Ava was next to me, her eyes glued to her phone, her movements careful, calculated—like a queen surveying her kingdom. Across from her sat Holly, bundled up in a thick sweater despite the warmth in the room. She looked frail, but her eyes sparkled with a rare kind of strength.

Breakfast was an exercise in torture. The dining room was bathed in golden light, but the atmosphere was thick with unspoken words. Holly chatted animatedly about her time in the hospital, her voice full of an innocence that made everything feel worse.

And then there was Chloe.