Chapter 66

Orion’s head hit the wall behind him with a soft thud. He stared at the ceiling without blinking, chest rising and falling as his heart thrashed in his ribs.

Now that his mother had been taken away for the surgery, the room felt stripped of life. The silence wasn’t peaceful it was suffocating. The air felt heavier by the second, pressing down on his lungs.

His foot tapped the floor impatiently. He didn’t know what he was waiting for, just that he couldn’t move.

That’s when the cleaner stepped in. He paused the moment he saw Orion sitting there and looked like he’d rather turn around.

Orion stood up.

"I’ll take my things and leave. Do your job after that," he said, voice low but sharp.

He crossed the room and walked over to the cupboard. It still held some of his mother’s belongings. Cooper had left one of his shirts in there, too. He figured he’d change into it before leaving.

Orion pulled on the handle. The door creaked open, and something tumbled