Chase hesitated. “Mallory—”
“I’m glad you’re doing okay,” she said, voice tight, forced. A lie.
She was about to hang up when his voice stopped her. “Wait.”
Mallory froze, pressing the phone back to her ear. “Yeah?”
Chase exhaled, his voice softer now. “Thank you.”
Mallory frowned, confused. “For what?”
“For reaching out to Jaxon and Sara,” he murmured. “For knowing what I needed, even when I didn't know.”
Her heart twisted. Because as much as Savannah had needed her, as much as she had been by her best friend’s side every step of the way—
Chase had needed someone, too. And somehow, she had been the one to make sure he wasn’t alone.
She let out a quiet breath. “You’d do the same for me.”
A pause.
Then, a soft chuckle. “Yeah. I would.”
For the first time, the tension in Mallory’s chest eased.
Maybe this was how it had to be—for now. Maybe Chase needed to move on.
Maybe Savannah needed to fight for him this time.
And maybe, just maybe—This wasn’t the end.
But just as Mallory was about to say goodbye, Chase’s voice cut through the silence once more.
“Mallory.” He said called out, "One last thing."
She stilled. “Yeah?”
There was a beat of hesitation, like he was debating whether to say what was on his mind.
Then, in a voice so raw, so quiet it almost shattered her, he murmured— “Regardless of what does or doesn’t happen—please make sure she’s okay.”
Mallory’s heart leapt.
Because despite everything—
Despite how shattered Chase was, despite how much Savannah had hurt him—
He still loved her. Still cared. Still wanted to know she was safe.
And in that moment, Mallory saw it.
The kind of love that doesn’t just go away.
She exhaled softly, blinking back the sting in her eyes. “I will,” she promised.
And as she ended the call, she knew—
This wasn’t over.
