Chapter 30 Gone for Days

Chapter 30 Gone for Days
Olive’s breath caught.
“A… man?” she repeated, her voice barely steady.
Maxine nodded. “Yeah. I don’t think I’ve seen him here before. He was wearing a black coat—looked like some big businessman or something.”
Black coat.
The words echoed in Olive’s head.
Her pulse spiked so fast she felt dizzy.
“Where is he now?” Olive asked, panic slipping into her voice despite her effort to stay calm. “Did he say why he was looking for me?”
Maxine tilted her head, curiosity creeping in. “You know him?”
Olive tapped Maxine's arms, "I gotta go."
Her body was already moving before her mind could catch up. Hope—sharp and sudden—rose in her chest, pushing everything else aside.
What if it’s him? What if Leo is here?
“Olive—wait—” Maxine called out as Olive suddenly rushed away from the desk.
But Olive was already gone.
Her footsteps echoed as she hurried down the hall, uneven and fast, leaving Maxine staring after her in confusion.
“…That was weird,” Maxine muttered to herself, shaking her head. She adjusted her grip on her record book, gave a playful wink to the information desk officer, and walked off, deciding not to think too much about it.
Meanwhile, Olive pushed through the crowd toward the hospital lobby, her heart thumping so loudly it felt like it might burst.
Olive scanned the area again, her eyes moving quickly, almost desperately, as she searched every corner of the lobby. She looked for a familiar silhouette—someone tall, someone in a dark coat, someone who moved the way he did.
Nothing.
She turned in place once more, just to be sure she hadn’t missed anyone.
Still nothing.
Her chest sank.
For a moment, she stood there frozen, torn between disappointment and the fear of hoping too much. Then she made up her mind.
The parking lot.
Maybe he had already stepped outside. Maybe his car was still there.
She pushed through the glass doors and stepped out into the open. The midday sun hit her instantly—bright, harsh, and unforgiving. She squinted, lifting a hand to shield her eyes as heat pressed against her skin. Sweat prickled at the back of her neck as she jogged toward the side of the hospital where the parking area stretched wide and exposed.
Row by row, she checked.
Each empty space made her heart beat faster, heavier.
No black car. No familiar plate. No sign of Leo.
Her shoulders drooped slightly as disappointment crept in.
“Where are you…” she whispered under her breath, frustration and worry tangling painfully in her chest.
Defeated, she turned back toward the entrance. As she walked, she pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed his number again, already bracing herself.
Still, unreachable.
She stopped walking for a second, staring at the screen. Her thumb hovered before she typed another message.
Where are you? Are you okay? Please answer.
She hit send anyway, even though she already knew the result.
Nothing.
When she stepped back inside the hospital, the cool air washed over her skin—but it did nothing to calm the restless knot in her chest. Her thoughts were still racing, her pulse still loud in her ears.
Then—
She caught sight of a man in a dark coat walking ahead of her.
Her breath hitched.
Her heart leapt before her mind could catch up.
“Leo?” she called instinctively.
The man didn’t stop.
He kept walking, his pace fast and purposeful, as if he knew exactly where he was going.
“Leo!” she called again, louder this time.
Still no response.
Her heart began to thump harder as she broke into a run, weaving through people in the hallway, murmuring quick apologies as she passed them. A sharp fear took hold—if she slowed down even for a second, she might lose him again.
The man reached the exit door and pushed it open.
Without thinking, Olive followed.
Outside, she saw him heading toward the stairwell, taking the steps two at a time, his long strides effortless.
“Wait!” she called, breathless.
He didn’t turn.
She chased after him, her footsteps echoing loudly as she climbed the stairs. Her lungs burned, her legs protested, but she didn’t stop.
“Where are you going…” she whispered between breaths, her voice barely audible over her racing heart.
Then realization struck.
The rooftop.
Her pace quickened, adrenaline pushing her forward.
When she finally reached the rooftop door, it was closed. She stopped in front of it, chest rising and falling rapidly, heart hammering against her ribs.
She was sure.
He went in here.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for the doorknob. Nervousness and excitement collided inside her as she slowly turned it.
The door creaked open.
The wind greeted her first—strong, cool, carrying the sounds of the city below.
Then she saw him.
A man stood near the edge of the rooftop, his back facing her, shoulders squared as he looked out at the endless stretch of buildings and roads beyond. Even from behind, even without seeing his face—
She knew.
“Leo…” she called softly.
He turned slowly.
And smiled.
“Hi, Olive.”
The sound of her name sent a sharp chill down her spine.
Her breath caught.
For a split second, her heart had leapt—expecting Leo.
But this wasn’t him.
The man standing in front of her looked similar from behind—tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a dark coat—but his face was wrong. Older. Harder. His smile didn’t reach his eyes, and there was something unsettling in the way he looked at her, like he already knew too much.
Olive froze.
Her pulse spiked, instinct screaming that something was off.
Slowly, her eyes flicked past him—toward the edge of the rooftop, the stairwell door, the empty corners around them.
No one else.
They were alone.
A cold weight settled in her stomach.
Her fingers curled slightly at her sides as she took a careful step back. “You… you’re not—” Her voice faltered. She swallowed. “Who are you?”
The man’s smile widened just a fraction, and that small movement made her skin prickle.
“I was wondering how long it would take before you followed,” he said calmly, almost amused. “You look just like I imagined.”
Her heart slammed hard against her chest.
“How do you know my name?” Olive asked, fear slipping into her voice despite her effort to stay calm.
The wind swept across the rooftop, lifting her hair, making the space feel even more exposed. Her eyes darted again to the stairwell.
Too far.
She was suddenly, painfully aware of how high they were—and how alone she was.
The man took a slow step closer.
“You should relax,” he said lightly. “I just wanted to talk.”
Every instinct in Olive screamed run.
But her legs felt heavy, rooted to the concrete.
Because deep down, she already knew—
This man wasn’t here by accident.