Noah's eyes were fixed on the phone in his hand, his face pale and drained of color, as if the conversation he had just ended had left him reeling. He didn't even flinch when Hazel entered the room, her sudden presence seemingly unnoticed. It wasn't until she spoke, her voice laced with concern and curiosity, that he snapped back to reality.

He hung up the phone with a jerky motion, his eyes darting up to meet Hazel's, a mix of shock and guilt written across his face.

"Hazel...I...I wasn't ...