Chapter 104

The study was quiet. I stared at my phone for a long time before finally pressing the call button. It rang twice before Sebastian answered. His voice was calm but cautious. “Haley? Is something wrong?” “No, no,” I replied quickly. “I just wanted to check in. It’s been a week.” He hesitated. “About Jordan?” I nodded before realizing he couldn’t see me. “Yeah. I’ve been thinking about him a lot.” There was a pause, then his voice softened. “He’s doing better. We’ve had a few long talks.” “And Susan?” I asked, not hiding the edge in my voice. Another pause. This one longer. “She and I… we’ve been trying to work things out.” I pressed my lips together. “And Jordan?” “She still hasn’t warmed up to him,” Sebastian admitted. “She says it’s hard to forget how he talked back to her.” My heart sank. “He’s a child. He was emotional. She’s the adult.” “I know, Haley,” he said, a little defensively. “But she was humiliated.” “He was defending me,” I replied, my voice tight. “And I don’t regret that