MELISSA'S POV

The flight felt endless. The hours in the air dragged on, weighed down by silence so heavy it seemed to press against my chest. I sat by the window, staring at the vast clouds that blurred into each other like brushstrokes on a cold canvas. Beside me, Xavier was a statue.

His shoulders were tense, his gaze fixed on nothing, his jaw tight. He would only look at me periodically, smile and pat my head. He didn't even want to say anything. There were too many unspoken words ...