Justin's POV
The moment the door to the boardroom closed behind me, the world I had been standing in with Elena shattered.
I didn't bother turning on the lights. I didn't sit. I didn't breathe properly.
My hand was shaking as I stared at the phone in my palm, the screen still glowing from the call that had detonated inside my chest.
Unknown Number.
I had answered without thinking. Instinct. Something ancient and unwanted rising from a place I had buried deep.
"Mr shawn?" The voice on the other end had been calm, professional. Too calm. "This is St. Vincent's Hospital. We're calling regarding Ivy...."
The rest of the words blurred together.
Accident.
Emergency.
You're listed as next of kin.
I had felt it then, that sharp, sick twist in my gut. Not love. Not longing.
Fear.
The kind you feel when something unfinished claws its way back into your life.
