Chapter 10 •Welcome Back•

Maddie woke to the sound of her phone buzzing on the nightstand. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the screen, heart sinking at the sight of Mark’s name.

Mark: Back tomorrow evening. Can’t wait to see you.

For a moment, she stared at the message, trying to summon the excitement she thought she should feel. Instead, her chest tightened with unease.

She put the phone down without replying and slid out of bed. Socks, as if sensing her mood, hopped off the bed and followed her to the kitchen, his tail flicking in lazy arcs.

“You’re going to meet him soon, buddy,” she said, scratching behind his ears as the coffee brewed. Socks purred contentedly, oblivious to her tension.

The rest of the day passed in a haze of chores and preparation. Maddie cleaned the house meticulously, more out of habit than necessity, and tried not to think too much about Mark’s return.

By evening, she was on the couch, Socks curled up beside her when her phone buzzed again.

This time, it was Ethan.

Ethan: How’s the furball?

Maddie smiled, her shoulders relaxing as she typed back.

Maddie: Socks is officially spoiled. He’s napping after a very hard day of staring out the window.

Ethan: Sounds like he’s got life figured out. I might be jealous.

She laughed softly, the first time all day, and found herself typing back without hesitation. Their conversation flowed easily, with Ethan sharing a funny story about a client and Maddie recounting Socks’ latest antics.

For a while, she forgot about everything else until a sharp knock at the door startled her.

She glanced at the clock—it was late, but not too late for visitors. Heart racing slightly, she walked to the door and peeked through the peephole. Mark stood on the other side, his suitcase beside him.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. “You’re back early.”

“Missed my flight tomorrow, so I caught one tonight instead.” He stepped in without waiting for an invitation, brushing past her. “You could’ve answered my texts.”

Maddie shut the door and followed him into the living room. “I didn’t think it was urgent.”

Mark set his suitcase down and turned to her, his eyes scanning the room. His gaze landed on Socks, who had lifted his head to assess the newcomer.

“What’s that?” he asked, his tone sharp.

“That’s Socks,” Maddie said, forcing a smile. “I told you about him. He’s the cat I rescued.”

Mark frowned. “I thought you were joking.”

“Nope,” she said, bending to pick up Socks. “He’s been great company.”

Mark didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he crossed his arms, his expression darkening. “I don’t like animals in the house, Maddie. You know that.”

Her smile faltered. “Well, it’s my house, and Socks isn’t going anywhere.”

The tension hung heavy in the air. Mark opened his mouth to argue but seemed to think better of it. “Fine,” he said finally, his tone clipped. “But don’t expect me to deal with it.”

Maddie bit back a retort and placed Socks gently on the couch. The cat stretched and gave Mark a lazy blink before settling back down, seemingly unimpressed by the stranger.

The rest of the evening passed in uneasy silence. Mark unpacked and sat with his laptop, barely looking up, while Maddie busied herself with Socks and small tasks around the house.

As she climbed into bed that night, Mark’s cold attitude lingered in her mind. She stared at the ceiling, Socks curled up at her feet, and felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness, even with someone lying beside her.

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