I lowered the phone and took another drink from my cup, then let my shoulders sag as the adrenaline finally drained out of me. Meldon was at least an hour away on a good day. With traffic and snow, it could easily turn into two.

I stared into my coffee, then shook my head and pushed myself upright.

"Long day ahead, Evan," I muttered under my breath. "Come on."

I walked back to my desk with the coffee warming my hand. The office buzzed around me, keyboards clacking, muted conversations floating through the air. I stopped at my desk, took another sip, then set the half-empty cup down beside my keyboard. It barely helped, but it was something.

Reaching behind me, I grabbed my jacket from the coat hanger and slipped it on, rolling my shoulders once as if I could shake the exhaustion loose. Then I turned and headed straight for Nala's office.

I knocked once and pushed the door open. Amelia was still inside, standing near the desk with a tablet in hand, mid-sentence. Both of them looked up.

"Hey," I said, lifting a hand slightly. "I've gotta go. Cora's sister went missing last night. They found her, but I need to go pick her up."

"Cora?" Nala repeated, brows knitting together for a second before she shook her head. "Alright. Go. Keep me updated."

"Will do," I replied, already backing toward the door. "Thanks, CEO."

A faint smile tugged at her lips before she turned back to Amelia, her expression sharpening into work mode again. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it for half a second, exhaling slowly.

Really long day ahead.

❤︎❤︎❤︎

I parked a short distance from the police station and stepped out into the cold. Meldon felt quieter than the city, almost too still. Snow clung to the edges of the sidewalk, piled against street signs and curbs, the sky hanging low and gray overhead. The station itself was a squat concrete building, dull and uninviting, with a couple of squad cars parked out front.

That's when I saw her.

Esme was sitting on a bench a few meters from the entrance, shoulders hunched, hands tucked into the sleeves of her hoodie. Her eyes were red and puffy, her nose pink from the cold and crying. She looked small like that, drained and shaken.

The moment she spotted me, she froze. Then she stood up fast and crossed the distance in a rush.

She slammed into me and wrapped her arms around my torso, burying her face into my chest. I barely had time to react before I was hugging her back, one hand pressing between her shoulders as her body shook.

╭───────────╮

EVENT

===============

Esme's Interest +10

╰───────────╯

"Sheesh," I muttered softly, holding her steady. "You were just lost. You're okay now."

"I was so scared," she choked out, her voice muffled.

"I know," I said, easing my grip just enough to look at her. I stepped back slightly and lifted her chin with my finger, guiding her eyes up to mine. "Hey. You're safe. That's what matters."

She nodded weakly, sniffing.

"Your sister was worried sick," I added gently. "Let's get you back to her, yeah?"

"Y-yeah," Esme whispered. "Thank you, Evan."

I gave her a small, reassuring smile and gestured toward the car. "Come on. Let's go home."

╭───────────╮

WOMEN - INTERACTIONS

===============

Jasmine: Interest: 40 / 60★★

Kayla: Interest: 20 / 40★

Tessa: Interest: 27 / 40★

Kim: Interest: 100 / 100★★★★★

Delilah: Interest: 75 / 80★★★

Cora: Interest: 100 / 100★★★★★

Mendy: Interest: 16 /20

Nala: Interest: 100 /100★★★★★

Penelope: Interest: 5 /20

Minne: Interest: 28 /40★

Ivy: Interest: 12/20

Eleanor: Interest: 15/20

Amelia: Interest: 5/20

Esme: Interest: 10/20

===============

Progress:

★☆☆☆☆ - 20 Interest: Milestone reward

★★☆☆☆ - 40 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★☆☆ - 60 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★★☆ - 80 Interest: Milestone reward

★★★★★ -100 Interest: Milestone reward

===============

Select a woman to track progress.

╰───────────╯

Esme and I walked toward the car side by side, the cold biting at our faces. I unlocked it with a click and slid into the driver's seat, shrugging my jacket off just enough to get comfortable. She climbed in after me and shut the door, the sound muffled by the snow outside.

I turned the key and pressed the gas.

Nothing.

"…Huh."

I tried again, foot heavier on the pedal this time. Still nothing. My head felt foggy, like my thoughts were moving through syrup. I dragged a hand down my face, rubbing my eyes, then glanced down.

Handbrake.

"God," I muttered, releasing it with a flick. "I really need sleep."

The car finally rolled forward.

"On second thought," I said, a lazy smile tugging at my mouth, "how about we rest first, huh?"

Esme turned toward me, confusion mixing with fatigue. "Rest where? Are you sleepy?"

"Yep," I replied. "Like you. Minus the accidental bus sleepover."

She huffed out a weak laugh, then leaned back into her seat. Her eyes were still half-lidded, but there was a little more light in them now. "So… where would we stay?"

"Know anywhere close?" I asked. "Just for a couple of hours. I really shouldn't drive like this."

"There's a hotel not far from here," she said after a moment. "I saw it on the way."

"Alright," I said, easing my foot onto the gas. "You're the navigator."

She nodded softly.

I reversed out of the parking spot and pulled onto the road, tires crunching lightly over slush.

"Which way?" I asked.

"Left here," Esme said, pointing. "Then straight."

"You sure?"

"Mm. Pretty sure."

We stopped at a red light. I cracked the window open, letting the cold air spill in, sharp and clean. It helped a little, enough to keep my eyes from drifting shut.

Esme stared out her window, quiet, thoughtful. Her reflection trembled faintly in the glass, distorted by the falling snow. Cora's voice echoed in my head, anxious and strained… about how their lives were a living hell with their abusive father.

We stopped at a red light. I cracked the window open, letting the cold air spill in, sharp and clean. It helped a little, enough to keep my eyes from drifting shut.

Esme stared out her window, quiet, thoughtful. Her reflection trembled faintly in the glass, distorted by the falling snow. Cora's voice echoed in my head—tight with worry, heavy with things she didn't say outright. About how their lives were a living hell with their father.

"So," I said carefully, eyes still on the road, "you and your sister. You guys close?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Very."

"Parents?" I asked. "Family stuff?"

Her jaw tightened. She didn't answer right away.

"I don't like them," she said finally. "I only like my sister."

That tracked.

I nodded once, keeping my voice even. "Cora mentioned things were… complicated."

Esme let out a quiet breath, almost a laugh, but there was no humor in it. "She told you how our family is. Or—was."

I nodded again.

The light stayed red.

"If you ever want to talk about it," I said, not looking at her, "I'm a good listener."

For a moment, I thought she'd brush it off. Instead, she shifted in her seat, pulling her coat tighter around herself.

"Our father was awful," she said. Flat. Controlled. "Angry all the time. Everything set him off. If it wasn't us, it was something else—but we were always the ones paying for it."

I kept my hands steady on the wheel.

"And my mom…" She hesitated, then shook her head. "She just let it happen. Acted like if she ignored it, it wasn't real. Like we were exaggerating."

"Hmm."

Her fingers curled in her sleeve. "So yeah. I hate them both."

"I'm sorry," I said quietly.

She shrugged, but it didn't quite land. "It's fine. We're out now. That's what matters."

The light changed.

I eased my foot onto the gas, giving her space. After a beat, I cleared my throat. Alright, time for a subject change. I regretted ever talking about her family. It was in the past, and it should've stayed in the past. I couldn't help but feel bad for her.

"You know," I said, "the college you're attending? That was my old one. Before they changed the name."

Her head snapped toward me. "Really?"

"Yeah. It's better now, though."

"It is," she said, a hint of pride creeping into her voice. "The gym alone is massive."

"I heard you and Cora were into gymnastics."

She smiled faintly. "I'm the flexible one. She'll tell you otherwise."

"You still train?"

"Rarely," she said. "Life gets in the way."

The light turned green, and I pulled forward. A few moments later, the hotel came into view. I guess she was right after all.

It wasn't flashy, but it was clean, modern, and tall enough to stand out against the gray skyline. Warm lights glowed behind wide glass doors, promising heat and silence.

I pulled up to the front entrance and rolled the window down as a valet stepped forward, straightening his coat.

I got out and handed him the keys. "Hey—I'm checking in, but I don't have a room yet."

"No problem," he said with an easy smile. "I can take the car for you."

"Great."

"Name?"

"Evan Marlowe."

He nodded, typing it into his handheld. "Once you've checked in, just let the front desk know you've got a valet vehicle. We'll link it to your room."

"Sounds good. Thanks."

"My pleasure, sir."

Esme and I headed inside as the automatic doors opened for us.

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