Minutes dragged on, each one longer than the last.
The officer who had promised a lead on the van returned, his face grim.
Aurora's heart sank even before he spoke. "We checked the van at the gas station. It's not the right one. It's just a delivery service for packages."
For a moment, everything seemed to stop. Her chest tightened painfully, and her breath caught in her throat.
The fleeting hope she had clung to shattered, leaving her feeling more helpless than before.
"No..." Aurora whispered, barely able to speak.
The officer muttered something else, but she could no longer hear him.
Beside her, Lucas's hand tightened slightly on her arm, trying to offer silent comfort.
But it wasn't enough.
Nothing would be enough until Leo was back with her, safe.
She pressed a hand to her mouth, trying to steady herself, but it was no use.
A strange buzzing sound broke the silence—the sudden ring of her phone.
