Hailey’s POV
By the time I pull into the driveway, my hands are still gripping the steering wheel like I might lose control if I let go. The engine hums softly before I turn it off, and the sudden quiet presses against my ears.
My chest rises and falls unevenly. Sweat clings to my spine, my collarbone, the back of my neck. It isn’t just the heat. It’s the weight of the day. Of secrets stacked on secrets. Of faces I don’t want to see again replaying behind my eyes.
I stay there for a few seconds longer than necessary, forehead dropping forward until it touches the wheel. My breath fogs the air in front of me.
Get it together, Hailey.
When I finally step out of the car, the house looks the same as always—tall, quiet, expensive in a way that still doesn’t feel like it belongs to me. I ex
