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Chapter 42

Author: Cane
last update Last Updated: 2025-09-16 20:01:46
Chapter 42

Ollie’s POV

The house was quiet. Too quiet.

I leaned back against the door after locking it, my chest rising and falling too fast. My hands were still trembling from the last look Ryder gave me before he walked away. I wanted to tell myself it was over, that I’d won something by standing there and shutting him out. But instead, I just slid down against the wood, my legs too weak to hold me, and pressed my forehead into my knees.

The silence pressed heavy. I could hear the faint ticking of the clock in the kitchen, the hum of the fridge, the creak of the house settling. Everything normal. Everything safe. But it didn’t feel safe.

It felt like Ryder was still here, his shadow stretched over every inch of the room.

I sat there for what felt like hours, staring at the floor, waiting for the sound of footsteps returning. They never came.

Eventually, I pushed myself up and wandered to my room. I dropped my bag on the floor and collapsed on the bed, staring at the cei
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