Rain tapped against the hotel window as Nathan Freeling sat on the edge of his bed, shoulders hunched, staring at the cracked floorboards. The room glowed beneath a tired lamp, its constant buzz filling the silence.

He'd always been the cheerful one—the man who could patch over any bad day with a joke. Tonight, even that felt out of reach.

An untouched cup of coffee sat nearby, long since cold. Nathan traced the rim with trembling fingers before rising and crossing to the window. Outside, life carried on beneath umbrellas and streetlights.

“Get it together,” he whispered, pressing a hand to the glass. The words sounded fragile. His façade was cracking. Anyone walking in now would see it. Rain drummed against the pane. Nathan lowered himself onto the sill, gripping the empty pill bottle with shaking hands.

After a long silence, he exhaled.

“I don't want to do this alone.”