CHAPTER 152

The day passed in a blur, with every minute feeling like an eternity. After Leon left, the emptiness in the house seemed to magnify, each quiet moment amplifying the ache in my chest.

I hadn’t heard from him since he walked out, and a part of me dreaded the possibility of never hearing from him again. But I had to push those thoughts aside. I had other responsibilities, other things that required my attention.

That evening, I found myself at the hospital, helping Aunt Lou keep an eye on Lena in the recovery room. Lena had been through a rough time, and it was the least I could do to be there for her, as well as Aunt Lou.

But despite my best efforts to focus on Lena’s well-being, my thoughts kept drifting back to Leon, to the look on his face when I told him to leave. The anger, the hurt, the regret—they all swirled together in a tangled mess that I couldn’t seem to unravel.

Aunt Lou must have sensed my unease. As we sat together by Lena’s bedside, she kept glancing at me with a conc