Cameron paced back and forth in his living room, his mind racing with a tumult of emotions. Every second felt like an eternity as he waited for any news from Jake. The house, usually a sanctuary, now felt like a prison, its walls closing in on him as he thought about Ava.
He couldn't sit still, his body restless with anxiety. He glanced at his phone for the hundredth time, willing it to ring, to bring him any news about her. His heart ached with longing, the memories of their time together flooding his mind. He remembered her laughter, her smile, the way she made everything seem brighter. And then the image of her tear-streaked face, the pain he had caused, stabbed at his conscience like a dagger.
"Why did I let her go?" he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He had replayed the events leading to her disappearance countless times in his mind, torturing himself with the what-ifs and if-onlys.
