Ruby's POV

The next week slipped past in a blur. Work filled most of my days, and when I wasn’t at the office, I was running errands or checking in on my foster mother. The rhythm of it all kept me moving, but there were quiet moments, where the silence pressed in.

I hardly noticed the leaves thinning from the trees and the days getting shorter. It was only when I left my office one day, that I realized how much time had passed. The chill in the air had sharpened, and now required me to wear ...