Natalie's fingers tightened on the edge of the door, her heart thudding in her chest. She had hesitated for a long time to open the door but the girl kept pressing the bell with a look of irritation.
The woman on the other side was beautiful—tall, polished, effortlessly put together in a way Natalie hadn't been in months. Her eyes narrowed the moment they landed on Natalie's face.
"You're… not his sister," the woman said slowly.
Natalie shook her head, forcing her voice past the knot in her throat. "No. I'm—just staying here. Who are you?"
The woman blinked, and then her expression hardened. "I'm Lisa. Max's girlfriend. Or... at least I was the last time I checked."
Natalie's breath caught. Girlfriend?
Lisa crossed her arms, looking past Natalie into the house. Her voice was sharp, but it trembled with restrained confusion. "Who are you?"
Natalie stepped aside, cautious but not rude. "You can come in, if you want. Max's at the hospital. I was just… helping around the house."
