Ash’s boots echoed down the dim corridor of the apartment complex, each step heavier than the last. His mind replayed the last few days—the chaos with Haru, Devil’s fury, and the endless waiting at the hospital. But beneath all of that, one thought kept nagging at him like a thorn buried deep: Cordelia hadn’t called. She hadn’t answered.
By the time he stood in front of her door, his pulse was already hammering in his throat. He raised his hand, knocked firmly, and called, “Cordelia? It’s me. Open up.”
For a long, aching moment, silence.
Ash frowned, pressing his ear closer. He thought he heard a shift, the faint sound of movement, like someone retreating. He knocked again, softer this time. “Cordy? You there?”
On the other side of the door, Cordelia sat huddled on the floor, her back
