Shocked by Shraf’s message, a torrent of anger surged through me, swiftly escalating to pure lividity. Who did he think he was? Did he truly believe he could still exert control over me after everything? Well, he had another thing coming. I refused to let him dictate my life any longer. It was time to live on my own terms. With determination propelling my actions, I seized my phone and dialed a familiar number, my fingers tapping the screen with purpose. “Are you available?” I typed, my heart racing with anticipation as I hit send. A blue tick appeared, signaling that my message had been read. Before long, a reply illuminated the screen. “You alive, fluffball?” The response brought a smile to my face, a wave of nostalgia washing over me. Oh, how I missed him! “Yes, still alive, Jared,” I replied, adding a rolled eyes emoji for good measure. “Too bad, now I have to start annoying u again,” his message followed swiftly. I burst into laughter, the sound reverberating through the empt