Chapter 163. A Lie Too Deep

Collins’ POV

I wake to an unfamiliar stillness.

The space beside me is cold. Empty. No rustle of breath, no soft weight beneath the covers. My arm stretches out, instinctively reaching for her, but there’s nothing—just the quiet whisper of sheets, already cooled from her absence. I sit up slowly, blinking at the faint morning light filtering through the blinds.

And then I see it.

A single folded piece of paper resting by the lamp on the nightstand. White. Deliberate. Like a farewell. I frown and reach for it, the edge slightly crumpled as though she hesitated before placing it down.

My fingers tremble slightly as I unfold it.

Her handwriting hits me first—sharp, clean strokes that carry more weight than they should. Then the words begin to blur into me