Edith climbed into the car, and Justin leaned over to fasten her seatbelt for her.

His expression remained as stern as ever.

The air conditioning was turned up high, making the atmosphere inside as frigid as the Arctic.

Justin kept his eyes on the road, driving with unwavering focus. The highway along the coast near the airport was wide and open, offering sweeping views of the sea.

Edith gazed out the window, watching the winding coastal road disappear into rolling hills, beyond which stretched an endless blue sky and sparkling ocean.

She tried to break the silence. “The coastline around Southborough is really beautiful.”

Justin nced sideways, his striking eyes flicking briefly over Edith’s face.

He spent less time taking in the scenery than he did lingering on her features.

It was just a fleeting look, and then his attention returned to the road.

“Yeah,” he replied softly.

And just like that, the conversation died.

Edith stared ahead, feeling the awkwardness settle in her chest.

She knew that even if she tried to start another conversation, Justin would just respond the same

way.

Sensing it was pointless, Edith kept quiet.

The silence hung between them all the way to the airport. Neither said another word.

First ss.

Justin spent most of the flight with his eyes closed, resting.

The flight attendant, sensing the tension, didn’t dare disturb him. She only approached Edith quietly, asking if she needed anything.

Edith’s appetite had finally improved after a few rough days. Just ncing at the menu, though, with its seafood and fish options, made her stomach churn.

She ordered a steak with a ss of juice.

Not wanting to disturb Justin, she ate as quietly as she could.

Suddenly, Justin’s voice came from beside her. “I’m not asleep.”

Edith froze, unsure why he’d said that out of nowhere. “Would you like something to eat?” she asked.

Justin shook his head. “I’m not hungry.”

But as soon as Edith picked up a small piece of steak with her fork and lifted it to her mouth, Justin leaned over and took a bite out of it before she could react.

b20:41 /b

Her hand, still holding the fork and knife, hovered in midair.

Didn’t he just say he wasn’t hungry?

Edith asked again, “Are you sure you don’t want your own te?”

He waved her off. “No need.”

He just wanted to share her meal, that was all.

Now that she knew Justin wasn’t really asleep, Edith rxed and finished her food, cleaning her te and draining thest drop of juice.

The ne soared above thirty thousand feet, gliding through a sea of clouds that looked like waves–or maybe cotton candy.

She picked a movie, letting the next two and a half hours slip by easily.

After their brief exchange, Justin didn’t say another word for the rest of the flight.

The tension between them remained, all the way until the nended and they got into the car sent by the Hawksley family. Justin’s demeanor was as cold as ever.

Even the driver could sense the chill between them.

Mr. Hawksley seemed especially out of sorts today.

Edith and Justin sat in the back, farther apart than they’d ever been. Usually, Justin would sit a bit

closer to her.

At a fork in the road, Justin spoke abruptly. “Take me to Nightingale.”

Nightingale was Northcrest’s most famous entertainment district.

The driver was startled–asking to go there in front of Mrs. Hawksley seemed… inappropriate.

Edith, too, was taken aback. She pressed her lips together and asked quietly, “Aren’t youing home?”

Justin nodded calmly. “No, I have something I need to take care of.”

Something to take care of?

Edith couldn’t help but wonder–was it work, or something personal?

But she didn’t ask. Whatever it was, it was Justin’s business,

If he didn’t want to say, she wouldn’t pry.

Still, she felt an ufortable heaviness in her heart. If Justin was going out to Nightingale, there didn’t seem to be much point in her returning to the Hawksley house alone.

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