"Ela,” Oliver called as he turned to the door and found Imela standing there, staring at him and Ocean without stepping in.

She jerked back a little, and her gaze lifted to lock in his, and she looked to have been in a profound dilemma. It was strange to see, and he wondered what could have caused her to be this disoriented. She had been beside Ocean since this incident, taking no more than a twenty-minute break, until today, when she had to attend work. Now he was awake, and she wouldn’t even come close. It was unlike her, making Oliver wonder what happened at the office.

She forced a...