Hailee's POV
I should have told him to leave. I should have shut the door in his face and walked away. But somehow… I didn't. I didn't know when my hand moved—or why my body betrayed me—but I stepped aside and let him in.
The moment he entered, his eyes swept over the living room, scanning like he was searching for something, or someone.
"She hasn't returned from the packhouse," I said quietly, answering the unspoken question about my mother.
He gave a small nod, then turned to face me.
For a long, heavy moment, neither of us spoke.
Thick, suffocating silence hung in the air, making it difficult to breathe properly.
He stood there for another moment, then let out a quiet breath.
"I should go," he said finally, his voice low. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
I nodded slowly, though something inside me twisted. I didn't know why I wanted him to stay, but I said nothing.