Chapter 173

Ryan's POV

Same day, in the morning...

I stood by the window, watching the weak morning light filter through the blinds, casting long shadows across the floor. My thoughts were already running wild, as they often did these days, consumed with memories of her—of Emma.

The thoughts had been restless, as they often were these days, tangled with memories and unresolved feelings that seemed to haunt my every waking moment. The way she looked, the way she moved, how she used to smile before everything went wrong.

My grip tightened around the edge of the windowsill as I glanced at the clock. It was already half past eight; she should have been out of her room by now when she knew we had such an important meeting, and before that, we needed to talk as last night she had a splitting headache, and she didn't explain anything. But now I wanted to answer my questions; I needed to know everything.

But why was she not out of her room? Was she not feeling well?

Or was she deliberately taking so