Shattered Illusions

Nadia.

I woke up on the left side of the mattress the next morning, my hand reaching out blindly to grab my phone from the bedside drawer. The screen illuminated the dim, quiet bedroom. I braced myself, praying to find a missed call or a brief text from Cassian.

Nothing. The screen was blank, devoid of a single notification.

A heavy, hollow ache settled deep in my chest, weighing down my ever