Jessica 의 작품

Naomi barely slept.Her study light remained on through the early hours, casting long, watchful shadows across case files and legal pads. A cold cup of tea sat untouched by her elbow, its warmth long forgotten. She had run every scan she could think of, traced digital fingerprints, compared backups—and still, nothing pointed to the culprit.Nothing obvious.At 5:42 a.m., her front gate clicked open.Naomi was already at the window.Daniel stood outside the gate, hoodie pulled over his head, hands in his pockets. She hesitated, then buzzed him in. By the time he reached the front porch, she was holding the door open, eyes still rimmed with fatigue.“I couldn’t sleep,” he said.“Join the club,” she replied, stepping aside to let him in.He followed her into the kitchen. She poured two mugs of coffee, black, no sugar—their unspoken agreement from weeks past. For a moment, they just stood there, the silence almost comfortable.Then Naomi spoke.“T

Naomi stared at her phone long after the line went dead. The breeze that once felt warm now clung to her skin like a warning. She blinked, trying to refocus, but the world around her had already started shifting—tilting, cracking at the edges of what she believed was solid ground.Detective Harlan’s words rang in her ears."Someone tampered with the originals."She closed her eyes, gripping the railing beside the back steps. Her breath came shallow, the weight of the moment crashing down like a verdict.“Naomi?”Grace was at her side, eyes narrowing the instant she saw Naomi’s face.“What happened?”Naomi opened her mouth, then shook her head. “Not here. Not now.”Grace nodded, sensing the depth of the moment. “Come on,” she said, guiding her inside and up to Naomi’s study—her private space, where chaos had no permission to intrude.As soon as the door clicked shut, Naomi turned and paced. “The evidence—Daniel’s alibi, his timestamps, security camera pulls—they were tampered with.”Gr

Naomi felt the air shift as Daniel walked into the backyard, his presence pulling invisible strings that adjusted everyone’s posture and tone. Even the breeze felt different. Mark handed Daniel a plate, his smile tight. “Didn’t think we’d see you today.” Daniel accepted it without a blink. “Didn’t think so either. Life’s unpredictable like that.” Mark gave a short laugh, but it lacked warmth. “Well, hope you brought an appetite.” Naomi stepped between them before the tension could sharpen. “Daniel, why don’t you sit with Grace? I’ll get you something to drink.” Daniel’s eyes followed hers to the table, where Grace was already waving him over like an old friend. He gave Naomi a subtle look—one that said thank you—before walking off. As Naomi turned back toward the kitchen, Mark followed her. “So, you knew he was coming?”

Naomi didn’t expect it—the way his voice dipped lower when he spoke to her, or how the air between them thickened every time they made eye contact. There were too many people around, too many reasons not to look too long. But Daniel… he wasn’t playing by the rules today. “Can we talk?” he murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. Naomi blinked, heart skipping. “Right now?” He nodded, already moving toward the side path that led to the garden. Without thinking, she followed. The second they turned the corner, the mask he wore outside slipped. “You didn’t call,” she said first, arms crossed. “You had me thinking—” “I know,” he cut in, stepping closer. “I’m sorry. Things got messy with the hospital, my mom… I didn’t know how to talk without breaking down.” Naomi’s jaw clenched, but her eyes softened. “You could’ve still tried.” “I’m trying now,” he said, voice low, intense. “And I didn’t come here for sympathy.” She met his gaze, defiant. “Then why did you come?” Daniel looke

Naomi felt the air shift as Daniel walked into the backyard, his presence pulling invisible strings that adjusted everyone’s posture and tone. Even the breeze felt different. Mark handed Daniel a plate, his smile tight. “Didn’t think we’d see you today.” Daniel accepted it without a blink. “Didn’t think so either. Life’s unpredictable like that.” Mark gave a short laugh, but it lacked warmth. “Well, hope you brought an appetite.” Naomi stepped between them before the tension could sharpen. “Daniel, why don’t you sit with Grace? I’ll get you something to drink.” Daniel’s eyes followed hers to the table, where Grace was already waving him over like an old friend. He gave Naomi a subtle look—one that said thank you—before walking off. As Naomi turned back toward the kitchen, Mark followed her. “So, you knew he was coming?" “No, I didn’t.” Mark raised a brow. “Right. Just showed up out of nowhere, huh?” Naomi stopped and faced him, voice low but firm. “Yes. And if you’re planning

Naomi’s hand trembled slightly as she placed the phone back into her pocket. She didn’t realize how long she stood there until Grace gave her a slight nudge.“Naomi, you okay?”“I don’t know. I just... I feel so useless right now. Daniel’s going through it, and here I am hosting some half-baked party I don’t even care about.”Grace shook her head gently. “You’re not useless. You’ve done more for him than anyone else probably has. But right now, he’s where he needs to be, and so are you. Don’t let guilt mess up the good you’re trying to do.”Naomi sat back down, letting out a long sigh. “I didn’t even want to do this today. But I thought… maybe if I kept busy, I wouldn’t feel so helpless.”Grace pulled a chair beside her. “Then let’s make the best of it. Eat, smile, and breathe. You’re allowed to live too, Naomi.”Before Naomi could respond, the scent of sizzling meat wafted through the air. Mark was by the grill now, apron half-tied and humming a tune like he