Aurora’s P.O.V

I sat in the dimly lit room, the silence pressing down on me like a weight, my thoughts swirling in chaotic circles. My fingers traced the edges of the table absentmindedly, but my mind was miles away, replaying every moment with Ashton. I couldn’t stop thinking about him—about the way he had brought back that damn turtle, looking so proud of himself, so convinced that he’d made some sort of difference.

I had wanted to trust him, to believe in the good that ...