Jessica's POV
I lay motionless beneath my covers, eyes fixed on the white ceiling above. The blanket was pulled tight to my chin, yet despite the warmth surrounding me, an icy chill had settled deep in my bones. This wasn't the kind of cold you could chase away with heat. This was the kind that lived in your soul, feeding off every vulnerable moment.
What was happening to me? Why did being around Caleb feel like standing on the edge of a cliff, terrifying and exhilarating all at once? Every interaction with him left me breathless, like I was drowning in emotions I couldn't name or control.
For years now, I had been walking through life feeling hollow. There was this gaping void inside me that nothing could fill, no matter how hard I tried. I poured everything into it, work, distractions, meaningless relationships, but it just kept consuming, leaving me more empty than before.
