The quiet didn’t rush in afterward the way I expected it to.
I’d imagined that once it was over—once I’d said the things I needed to say and walked away—there would be a sudden emptiness, a vacuum where tension used to live. Relief, sharp and bright. Some clear emotional punctuation mark that would tell me this chapter was closed.
Instead, the world simply… continued.
The road stretched ahead of us, gray and unremarkable, the city thinning out as Ray drove us back toward the mansion. The radio played softly, something instrumental and unobtrusive, and the rhythm of the tires against the pavement felt almost hypnotic.
I rested my head against the window and watched the buildings give way to trees.
“You’re very quiet,” Ray said after a while.
“I’m not spiraling,” I replied automaticall
