Chapter 670: Erasmi's Trouble

ERasmi struck the ball with more force than necessary, watching it ricochet off the wall before hurtling back toward him.

As he played squash, his mind was elsewhere, consumed with thoughts of Ava. Lately, she had seemed distant, a growing chasm that he couldn't quite bridge. And he didn't understand what was going on. He'd tried reassuring her and approaching her, but she seemed to have pulled herself into some kind of a shell.

With every hit, Erasmi tried to focus on the game but the memories of their happier times kept intruding. He remembered her laughter, the warmth in her eyes, the way she used to look at him when they were just friends. That openness and trust was what he'd come to value. Now, there was a coldness, a detachment that unsettled him. He'd thought he'd married his good friend but suddenly, it seemed as if he'd lost the friend.