STEPHAN
I woke up slowly, my arm reaching instinctively for Jasmine's warmth beside me. But the bed was empty. The sheets were cool against my skin, and an instant pang of worry slammed into my chest.
After everything that happened at the hospital her breakdown about Mia, the way she had looked so lost and desperate I had barely slept. I kept waking up every few hours to check if she was still there, still breathing, still real.
Deep down, I still couldn't shake the fear that one day I would wake up and the old Jasmine would be back. The one who didn't want me. The one who would leave without looking back.
I sat up quickly, ignoring the stiffness in my shoulders. "Jasmine?"
The room was quiet except for the low hum of the air conditioner. My heart started pounding harder. I swung my legs out of the bed, grabbed a shirt, and pulled it on as I moved toward the door.
