That night, beneath the moonlight, everything felt impossibly tender.
After rescuing Ruby from the cliff, Alaric spent a long time coaxing her to sleep.
The next morning, he called me as usual. But only a mechanical message answered him.
“The number you dialed is currently unavailable.”
The cold, robotic tone sent a chill down his spine.
Panic rose in his chest. He rushed to the villa outside the city.
When he opened the door, silence greeted him.
The villa was empty. I had clearly never returned.
For the first time, true fear gripped him.
He mobilized a search team and raced to the cliffside.
But the beach was empty. Only the waves crashed endlessly against the rocks.
