Madison’s POV
The moment Austin walked out of the hospital, the space he left behind felt louder than his presence ever had. The air itself seemed charged, whispering with everything we hadn’t said, everything we hadn’t finished. My hands are shaking as I returned to my work, making bandages, saying kind words to the patients, pretending my heart isn’t still racing from the way he looked at me, like I was both his greatest temptation and his greatest mistake.
I hated that look. I hated that it made my chest tighten and my stomach twist in ways I couldn’t ignore.
“Madison,” A nurse said softly beside me, lowering her voice. “You okay?”
I nodded too quickly. “Yes. Just tired.”
She didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push. Instead, she handed me a clean cloth and moved on. I was gratef
