Chapter 7

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Kyla’s POV


“Good morning, everyone.”

Caleb’s voice slid through the dining room like warm sunlight. I looked up from my plate to see him walking toward the table, crisp suit, calm aura, that effortless Davison presence.

“Morning,” I said through a mouthful of food.

Rose had outdone herself today — eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, buttery croissants. A heavy breakfast to anchor me before my first exam: Math. She fussed over me like I was fragile porcelain, and maybe I was… just a little.

Caleb took his seat. “Ready for your first exam, kid?”

“Yup.”

He smiled, easy and warm, before digging into his plate.

Moments like these — small, ordinary, quiet — made it easier to breathe. Caleb felt safe. Honest. Steady. And after everything I’d learned, everything that had been hidden from me… I wasn’t sure I could survive another lie. Not from him.

“By the way, kid, I’m taking you to school today. That okay?”

“That’s… nice of you.”

He chuckled. “So that’s my nickname now?”

I narrowed my eyes playfully. “I guess.”

“If you haven’t noticed, it feels good calling you that,” he said, leaning back. “I always wished for a younger sibling to call ‘kid,’ and you… are the perfect age.”

“Perfect age?”

“Yeah. It wouldn’t make sense if you were my age or older.”

I nodded. “Right.”

He waited, eyebrows raised. “Still haven’t answered my question.”

“Oh—yes. It’s okay. Thank you.”

His smile flickered again — that subtle Davison softness — and we continued eating while I explained how prepared I felt for my exam. For once, I actually believed myself.

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In the Car

The moment I slid into his car, silence wrapped around us — thick and reflective. Caleb drove with both hands on the wheel, steady and focused.

But something was off.

Em had been quiet.

Too quiet.

Where the hell is she?

If I was her… I’d always answer myself, right? I don’t disappear. I’m always with me.
None of that made sense. And yet Emma’s silence felt like a missing limb.

“What’s troubling you?” Caleb’s voice broke through my spiraling thoughts.

I nearly jumped. “Nothing. Just… consumed by thoughts.”

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