JAKE POV

I watched her leave.

She left.

The moment Chloe walked out of that room, something inside me broke so quietly, so cleanly, I almost didn’t feel the crack.

Almost.

I watched her go, small, fragile, wearing fear like a second skin, and all I wanted was to hold her.

But all she left me with was the cold imprint of her absence.

For a long moment, I sat there, chest aching, trying to breathe past the sharp guilt slicing through my ribs.

What had I done?

Accused ...