Chapter 13

Back in Halston City, Joyce got home by the third night. She opened the door, and darkness washed over her. She called out for Nigel without thinking, but the silence stretched on. She flicked on the lights. The empty room was just as it had been when she left. That was when it hit her—Nigel was on a business trip. Joyce realized Nigel hadn't reached out to her in the past few days. They'd agreed he'd let her know when he was coming back so she could pick him up, but he hadn't said a thing. She walked into the living room, pulled out her phone, and opened her chat with Nigel. She quickly noticed their chat history—filled with all the messages he used to send her. Sometimes, he'd share funny stories from work or just little snippets from his day. Every now and then, he'd tentatively ask if she wanted to hang out. Other times, he'd rant about his bad luck. Joyce's responses were short—mostly "Yeah", "Got it", or "Okay". Sometimes, she wouldn't reply at all. But Nigel didn't seem to