Alice

Two days had passed since Mom, Uncle Lemuel, and I talked about the possibility that something bad might have happened to Lance.

In those two days, it felt like the world had slowed down. Every hour felt longer than it should, and every minute felt like waiting.

I could barely sleep properly anymore.

Every time I closed my eyes, the same things returned to my mind—the headlines about his supposed wedding to Jeraldine, the photos circulating online, and the careless comments from people who had no idea whose hearts they were hurting.

But more than anything else… I kept thinking about Lance’s silence.

Still no calls.

Not even a...