Eva’s POV - 11:03 AM

Cole had been gone for over an hour.

The pancakes were cold. The bacon was sad. And I was starting to worry.

When he finally walked back in, he looked… off. Tense in a way that made my stomach drop.

“Hey,” I said carefully. “Everything okay?”

“Fine.” He moved past me to his office. “I have some work to catch up on.”

“Cole-”

“I said I’m fine, Eva.” His voice was sharp, controlled. “I just need some space.”

The door closed behind him ...