XAVIER’S POV

I didn't even remember when I slept off after Melissa left. Maybe it was when the alcohol finally numbed me enough to shut my eyes, or maybe it was when the weight of everything grew too heavy and dragged me under. All I know is that when I woke up, the sunlight pouring through my curtains felt like knives stabbing into my skull.

The hangover was brutal—my head was pounding, my throat dry, my stomach churning like I’d swallowed broken glass. But it wasn’t just the ...