Xavier's POV
“Ashlyn!” My eyes snapped open, and I bolted upright, my heart pounding in my chest.
The room was cold and empty, just as it had been before I’d fallen asleep. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut—she wasn’t here. I had spent the entire day searching for her, calling her name, retracing every step, but there was no sign of her.
Exhausted and defeated, I had collapsed onto the bed, only to wake up to the same crushing emptiness.
I rubbed my forehead, trying to ease the throbbing ache that had settled there. My mind was a whirlwind of guilt and regret as I paced back and forth across the room, clutching my phone tightly. I dialed Ashlyn’s number again, my fingers trembling, but the result was the same—unreachable.
The sound of her voicemail greeting, cheerful
