Ava’s POV
The first thing I felt was the pounding in my head. A brutal, relentless throb that made me wince as I opened my eyes to the faint morning light filtering through the curtains. My body ached in places I didn’t even know could ache. My throat was parched, my limbs heavy as though I had run a marathon.
I groaned and turned, expecting the other side of the bed to be warm, but it was cold and empty. My hand brushed against the sheets, a sharp contrast to the heat that still clung to my body. Alone. My stomach sank.
And then I saw it.
My bra, torn and crumpled on the floor. My dress—a shredded mess—was draped halfway across the armchair. A pair of unfamiliar cufflinks glittered under the dim light on the bedside table.
The memories of last night hit me like a thunderbolt.
“Oh my God,” I whispered, bolting upright. The motion made my head spin, and I clutched it, trying to steady myself. My heart thundered as I sat there, staring at the wreckage of my night.