(Ridge)
The kitchen didn’t sound the same when we stepped back in.
It was quieter than it should’ve been, like everyone already knew something had shifted but didn’t want to be the one to say it first. Jessa sat at the table with her head down, one hand pressed to her cheek like she thought it would make the mark disappear. It didn’t. Not from where I was standing, not from where anyone was standing.
Mira moved first.
She crossed the room without hesitation and stopped in front of Jessa like nothing else mattered right now. Cassidy stayed close behind her, watching everything too carefully, while Harlow stood off to the side trying not to react too fast. Nobody spoke for a second, and that silence said enough on its own.
“Hey,” Mira said.
Jessa didn’t look up.
“I’m fine.”
“That’s n
