Page 127 of Terror Tuesday

Aiden growls, his serial killer face narrowing into an icy glare. “A fuckingDelta?!”

“No…That guy?” Ryan yells. “He’s a fuckinghacker, and he, uh…”

Everyone turns to him as he trails off, but Pippi just slides right next to him and whispers something soothing in his ear.

The shock is palpable. My brothers’ faces drained of color, their fury now a mixture of dread and begrudging respect. Nick’s eyes widen, comprehending his massive miscalculation.

Dad waves his hand in the air. “We’ve struck a deal. As soon as we get things approved, Valen Von Dovish will be your sister’s Viscount. End of discussion.”

Victory feels hollow, though. Valen’s lack of contact has a pit of anxiety growing in my stomach. Seeing Pippi here with my brother only makes it worse…

The chaos slowly subsides, the water dripping from my brothers and Nick and pooling on the polished wood floor. Embarrassment brightens Nick’s cheeks to a furious red as he shakes himself off and hurriedly grabs his coat. A twisted satisfaction erupts in my chest. Good. Let him feel humiliation for once.

“Sorry, Olivia. Misunderstanding, you know how these things are,” he mutters weakly, avoiding my eyes.

“No, Nick. I don’t,” I respond coldly. “But I do know this—don’t ever talk to me again.”

I should probably tell Hailey Nick’s not the one.

He leaves swiftly, tail tucked firmly between his legs. My brothers shoot me glares but keep quiet, restrained by Dad’s finality. Henry, at least, has the decency to look genuinely chastened.

Aiden grabs a towel from the drawer and rubs it through his shaggy, black hair as Henry widens his palms to his sides, glancing at everyone. “I liked Nick. He gave me some good crypto tips once…”

I snort, then ignore him.

Aiden is unreadable, his stare cool and as calculating as ever while he swipes at his soaked face. Ryan fumes silently, jaw clenched tight, but he ignores things and heads toward his old room.

Wrapping an arm around my shoulders, Mom squeezes gently, a shine glimmering in her eyes. “I’m so excited to meet him. He better be worthy of you.”

Dad nods approvingly, the subtle warmth of his expression easing the lingering tension. Pippi meets my gaze across the room and offers a small smile. There’s understanding there; I’ll be marrying her cousin, and she seems to know exactly what it means to be caught in this tangled web of the society’s expectations for us sisters.

The drive back to campus is quiet, my heart heavy with unanswered questions.Omegahouse feels emptier than usual. Our sorority meeting passes in a blur, my thoughts elsewhere, Valen’s silence an unbearable weight pressing against my chest.

Even when I lie in bed, sleep refuses to claim me, every ticking second an agony. I finally relent after the clock strikes twelve, determination driving me from my bed.

Carefully, as the night I was covered in blood, I slip outside with a little bag packed and ready. Ready to gohome…

The mansion looms, dark and foreboding, windows empty and lifeless. My footsteps echo softly against the cold, cracked marble, and the chill inside bites deeper than outside. There’s no warm glow of a candle, no lingering scent of the roses. Just oppressive silence clinging to my skin.

I search every room with the flashlight I brought, hope dwindling with each vacant space. He’s not here.

It’s not the same oppressive feeling as before.

With Hunter, I would’ve unraveled with panic, convinced it was somethingI’ddone wrong. I would’ve questioned my worth, my beauty, my usefulness as a girl meant to be chosen.

But I’m notheranymore.

I settle onto the bed we shared, inhale the scent of him still trapped in the sheets, and let the silence speak. Sleep avoids me. Not because I’m afraid of being alone, but because I misshim.His eyes, his voice, the weight of his hand over mine. The way he saw me when I didn’t know how to see myself.

It’s not anxiety that tightens my chest. It’s grief. A deep ache. The sadness of loving someone who needed to disappear.

He’s not here.

And I know I’ll be okay…

But,gods, do I hope he’ll come home soon.

thirty-four