Chapter 89: The Longest Night

The clock on the wall seemed to tick louder with each passing second, each minute stretching into an eternity. Stefani sat on the edge of the couch, her legs drawn up as she hugged a pillow tightly against her chest. Her eyes were fixed on her phone, waiting for any sign, any call from the police. She hadn't stirred since the officers left, not even to blink. The thoughts were a whirl of fear and foreboding, and her heart was racing with every vibration or notification.

Jacob paces in the room, running his hands through his hair as though trying to unknot a stressful knot. He walks past her so many times that he would stop and look at her for a brief moment, his concern flashing in his eyes before moving onward with his frenzied pacing. The tension in the air can be almost too much to bear-tighter, suffocating end.

Outside, the night was eerily quiet. The search parties were out combing the area, but inside their home, there was nothing but silence—silence that screamed louder than wo