Chapter 50

Two months later

Ashley reluctantly opened her eyes to the morning light, cold and alone on the bed and the realization of Ian's absence hit her with an unexpected wave of frustration. The bed that was always radiating of shared warmth, felt cold and unwelcoming. A silent resentment crept into the edges of her thoughts.

Gazing at the bed, she couldn't help but notice the vacant side where Ian's sleepy adorableness had been a comforting presence. The sheets, now untangled and void of his warmth, seemed to mirror the plane of her thoughts.

A sigh escaped her lips, carrying a mix of longing and irritation. The room, once a haven of shared dreams, echoed with the absence of the laughter and whispered banter that usually accompanied their mornings.

As Ashley swung her legs over the side of the bed, a sense of discontent lingered in the air.

As she navigated the morning alone, Ashley couldn't shake the yearning for the body heat and sleepy adorableness that had become an integral part of h