Chapter 39

• Stephan sat in the living room, his eyes glued to the door, anxiously waiting for Sylvia to walk in. The silence stretched around him like a heavy blanket. Earlier that day, he had gone to her workplace, but she hadn’t been there. This was unusual; Sylvia typically preferred the comfort of home, only venturing out for her late shifts.
• After pacing the room a few times, he picked up his phone and dialed her number. The ringing tone echoed in the stillness, but it went straight to voicemail. Frustration gnawed at him. He glanced at his phone, suddenly aware of an unsettling truth: he didn’t know who to reach out to if he needed help. Sylvia rarely mentioned her friends or colleagues.
• Just as he contemplated trying her again, a text message notification broke the silence.