Sergeant Miller approaches, his face stern but not unkind. “We’ll need a formal statement from you, Ms. Mills, but that can wait until tomorrow.”
I nod gratefully, suddenly aware of how exhausted I am. The adrenaline that carried me through the ordeal is fading fast, leaving me shaky and light-headed. Caleb must notice, because his arm slides around my waist, steady and supportive.
“Let’s get you inside,” he says quietly, guiding me toward the house.
Once in the kitchen, away from the crowd of concerned faces, I finally let myself lean fully against him, drawing strength from his solid presence. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I should have told you where I was going.”
“Yes, you should have,” he agrees, his voice tight with lingering fear and relief. “But we can talk about that later. Right now, I need to know you’re okay.”
“I’m okay,” I assure him, though I’m not entirely sure it’s true. The memory of Hawthorne’s cold eyes and the gun pressed against my side is still too fresh.
He guides me to a chair, and Ella appears with a steaming mug of tea and a gentle pat on my shoulder before retreating to give us privacy. I take a sip, the warmth seeping into my cold fingers.
“What happened?” he asks finally, sitting across from me, his eyes never leaving my face.
I tell him everything—my impulsive trip to town, Hawthorne’s ambush, the abandoned storage facility where they held me. As I speak, I notice something fall from my jacket pocket onto the floor between us—the pharmacy bag, crushed and forgotten in the chaos of my abduction.
Caleb bends to retrieve it, and my heart stops as I watch recognition dawn on his face when he sees what’s inside. The pregnancy test. The one I never got to take.
“Lana?” His voice is careful and questioning as he holds the package.
I swallow hard, unable to meet his eyes. “I’ve been feeling off for a few days. Nauseous in the mornings. I just... I needed to know.”
He’s silent for so long that I finally look up, bracing myself for... what? Anger? Fear? Instead, I find him watching me with an expression I can’t quite read.
“Were you going to tell me?” he asks softly.
“Yes,” I say immediately. “I just wanted to be sure first.”
He nods slowly, then reaches across the table to take my hand. “Do you want to find out now?”
His calm reaction surprises me. “You’re not upset?”
“Why would I be upset?” He looks genuinely confused.
“Because we’ve only really known each other for a few weeks,” I point out. “Because this would complicate everything.”
A small smile touches his lips. “Lana, after everything we’ve been through—nearly dying in the underground room collapse, uncovering a century-old conspiracy, you getting kidnapped by a corrupt mayor—I think we can handle a pregnancy test.”
His words release something tight in my chest, and I find myself smiling back despite my nerves. “Okay. Let’s find out.”
I take the test into the bathroom, my hands shaking slightly as I follow the instructions. When I emerge, Caleb is waiting in the hallway, leaning against the wall with forced casualness.
“Now we wait,” I say, setting my phone timer for three minutes.
Those three minutes feel longer than the hours I spent as Hawthorne’s captive. We sit side by side on the edge of the bedin the guest room, not speaking, our shoulders touching. When the timer finally chimes, I take a deep breath.
“Whatever it says,” Caleb says quietly, “we’ll figure it out.”
I nod, too nervous to speak, and go to check the result.
One line. Negative.
I stare at it for a long moment, surprised by the complex mix of emotions washing through me—relief, yes, but also a faint, unexpected disappointment.
“It’s negative,” I tell him when I return, holding out the test for him to see.
“Are you okay?” he asks, studying my face carefully.
