I called Pearl to keep me company. I was worried sick. Partly because I knew if he failed, he would come for me too. The silence in the house felt heavier than usual, like the walls themselves were waiting for bad news. Every ticking second made my chest feel tighter.
"You need to trust him."
"It's not that I don't, it's just that… I don't even know."
She smiled but quickly switched to a straight face.
"You're scared… scared that something's going to go wrong. You hate that he's putting his life on the line to save you when he barely knows you."
I didn't look at her, nor did I reply. Instead, I stared at my hands. They wouldn't stop shaking. I hated feeling this powerless.
"If it makes you feel any better, he's not just doing it for you. He has unfinished business and reasons to kill him. You don't have to put yourself in the middle."
"But I am."
"No, you aren't. Max would've gone after him even if you weren't in the picture."
