RILEY’S POV
The room was suffocating. I sat by the bed, the weight of my thoughts pressing down on me, making every breath feel too heavy to take. The window beside me was open just a crack, but the breeze that came through didn’t reach my chest, didn’t cool the burning knot of confusion and fear that had lodged itself there. I hadn’t moved for hours. The day had slipped by in a haze, a blur of emotions too raw to process.
The tears had stopped hours ago, but the ache in my chest hadn’t. I had cried until there were no more tears left, until my body felt drained, hollow, like an empty shell that couldn’t hold anything more.
The maids had come in to deliver lunch, something warm, something meant to comfort, but the tray sat untouched, the food cold and unappetizing. I couldn’t bring mys
