Selina and Guinevere both looked surprised. Natalie had always treated them with a cool distance, yet instead of sitting near the innkeeper, she chose the seat between them. The room went still the second she sat down. The warmth that had filled the air earlier vanished. The only one acting like nothing happened was the innkeeper's husband, still sliding his hand across his wife's lap as if no one else existed. Everyone else stared at their bowls, pretending to eat. The silence felt thick and heavy, like the awkward pause at a work dinner when the boss suddenly shows up. Natalie broke the stillness. "Did you find your friend?" Her voice was calm and even, directed at the two girls. Both of them froze, unsure how to respond. They hadn't expected her to show any interest at all. Selina lifted her head. "Not yet," she said softly. After a second, she added, "Thanks for asking." Guinevere didn't say a word. She stabbed at her oatmeal with her fork, then took another bite of sausage. Natalie watched them closely, one brow raised. Yesterday they were panicking. Today they were eating like everything was fine. She slid her chair back just a little and sat at an angle, her gaze steady on both of them. They could feel her watching. Guinevere's hand shook slightly. The sausage on her fork didn't taste so good anymore. Selina tried to fill the silence. "Did you sleep okay last night?" Natalie shrugged. "Not really. Too cold to rest."Selina nodded right away. They finally had something in common. "Yeah, it was freezing. The temperature dropped again. When I woke up, it was around minus twenty. Thank God the innkeeper gave us more blankets. I don't think I'd have made it through the night without them." The innkeeper looked up, smiling warmly. "This old place doesn't have much, but we've got plenty of quilts. Since there aren't other guests, I gave all the extras to you girls. If you're still cold, tell me. I'll bring more." Then she turned to Natalie. "I set aside a few for you too. You told me not to bother you last night, so I didn't. I'll drop them off later." Natalie nodded once, then shifted the subject. "So. About your missing friend. What's his deal?" It took Selina a few seconds to realize Natalie was speaking to her. When she did, she blinked and said, "He probably went outside." Natalie tilted her head. "Outside? In this weather?" Before Selina could respond, the innkeeper jumped in. "Yes, I think so. I helped the girls look through the whole inn yesterday. He wasn't here. So he must have gone out." Natalie looked at her carefully. "You searched everywhere?" Selina nodded. "Yeah. Every room. Even the kitchen and the innkeeper's own room. He wasn't anywhere inside. So the only option left is he went out." Her expression hardened. "Honestly, I don't care anymore. First, he loses his mind for no reason. Then he disappears without a word. He can go freeze for all I care." Natalie leaned forward. "Loses his mind?" Selina's lips parted, but no words came. Her throat tightened. She couldn't bring herself to tell Natalie that. Then came the sound of metal hitting wood as Guinevere slammed her fork down. Her eyes flashed with anger. "What's your problem? You enjoy poking into other people's pain?" Selina grabbed her arm. "Guinevere, stop. She's just asking. She's trying to be kind." Then she turned to Natalie. "Sorry, my friend's just worried about me." Guinevere snapped back, her voice sharp. "Kind? I don't see any kindness in her tone." Natalie didn't flinch. She didn't even look at Guinevere. Her attention stayed locked on Selina. "What pain? Tell me exactly what happened." Guinevere glared at her, her face twisting with anger. She just won't listen! Selina gave her a look, silently begging her to calm down. Then she sighed and spoke. "My boyfriend. Anthony. He just … changed. Out of nowhere. He yelled at me. He dumped me like I was nothing." When she finished, the innkeeper gave an uneasy laugh, trying to ease the tension. "That young man's still a kid. He's just immature. Don't take it too seriously, sweetheart. He probably didn't mean it." Selina waved her off. "It's fine, ma'am. I know you didn't do anything wrong. You don't have to comfort me. He and I are done." Her voice trembled, but she forced herself to sound steady. After years together, the man she trusted had suddenly turned cruel—said she was flat, that she looked like a man, and that she couldn't compare to the innkeeper in any way. The words still cut deep. But Selina knew none of this was the woman's fault. The innkeeper and her husband were clearly close. She'd never done anything improper with Anthony.