Chapter 0221

Ava and Stanley entered her apartment, the darkness enveloping them like a shroud, a heavy blanket that suffocated all light.

Ava's hands moved automatically to the light switch, her fingers closing around it like a vice, as if grasping for a lifeline. The light flickered to life, casting a warm glow over the room, illuminating the familiar contours of her furniture, the soft cushions, the warm colors.

The silence of the house was oppressive, a heavy blanket that suffocated all sound, leaving only the soft hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen, a steady heartbeat that echoed through the stillness. Ava's eyes scanned the room, her gaze lingering on the familiar contours of her home, the soft cushions, the warm colors, the memories that lingered in every corner.

Ava turned to Stanley, her eyes locking onto his, her expression softening, her gaze searching for something, a lifeline, a connection.

She sighed, a deep, shuddering breath as if releasing all her tension, all her fears, all