Chapter 108

I didn’t hear from Logan that night. No goodnight text, no whispered “sleep well,” not even a missed call I could pretend to be annoyed about. Just… silence. And in that silence, my mind raced. I tried to calm myself by painting—grabbing my worn brushes, the canvas that still smelled like oils, and the set of colors that always seemed to bring me peace. I set everything on the coffee table and dipped my brush into soft pastel shades—calm ocean blues, warm yellows like sunlight, and gentle lilacs that reminded me of quiet mornings. It helped, a little. The rhythm of it, the careful strokes and blending, allowed me to breathe through the restlessness building inside. Lily slept in the same room with me that night—her little body curled up close beside me under a sea of blankets. She’d insisted, saying she didn’t want to sleep alone, and honestly, I didn’t either. The sound of her steady, peaceful breathing was the only comfort I had. It grounded me, anchoring me when my thoughts started