Caleb's POV
My eyes snap open to find nothing but cold sheets beside me. The familiar terror grips my chest as I bolt upright. They could be gone again. The thought sends me stumbling down the stairs, my heart hammering against my ribs. I can't survive another abandonment. The first time nearly destroyed me completely.
The only thread of sanity I had during those dark months came from two anonymous calls. Silent voices on the other end, but I recognized her breathing. I knew she was alive somewhere out there. We tracked both numbers to dead ends with no surveillance footage, but those calls kept hope flickering in my chest.
Reaching the bottom floor, I spot my mother hunched over the dining table, her shoulders trembling. "No." The word escapes as barely a whisper while my gaze darts between her broken posture and the front door.
