Ashlyn's POV
“378–379–”
Squatting on the ground, I hugged my knees, rocking back and forth as I counted. With each number, the pounding in my chest grew louder, each second stretching longer than the last.
Fear twisted in my gut, feeding the dark thoughts circling my mind.
‘Did he really leave me here?’
‘Was this his way of getting rid of me?’
‘What do I do if he never comes back?’
I scanned the empty road desperately and muttered to myself, “There’s not even a single house nearby.”
Then, far in the distance, I spotted something—a blur moving toward me. My breath hitched as the shape sharpened into a bike. Relief surged through me when I recognized Xavier.
I stayed frozen in place as he approached. My emotions swirl between anger, fear, and relief. He stopped the bike ju
