JACK’S POV
I didn’t even notice how fast the obsession grew; it just slipped into my daily life the way breathing did. After the money hit my account, it felt like a door had been opened – like permission given. My father wanted me closer to Ashley. Fate wanted it. My heart wanted it. Everything aligned so perfectly that the rush of it was almost addictive.
I started buying more extravagant gifts. Things that made the roses and the necklace seem childish in comparison. The next thing I got was a designer bracelet, the kind you could only get from a luxury boutique. I imagined it on her wrist, imagined her touching it during class and thinking of me. Then I bought a limited-edition perfume everyone said was impossible to find. I held it for a long time before placing it in her locker, ima
