The next day,
The morning air was crisp and cool as Jayden jogged through the park, his breath coming in steady rhythms. The sun had barely crested the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Most of the city was still asleep, leaving the park paths empty except for a few early risers and their dogs.
His feet pounded against the pavement in a familiar cadence, each step bringing him closer to completing his daily quest. But his mind wasn't on the exercise. It hadn't been all night. The fallout with Cassandra was all he could think of.
He pushed himself harder, legs burning as he increased his pace. Maybe if he ran fast enough, he could outrun the memory. Outrun the guilt that sat like lead in his stomach.
But it didn't work. It never did.
His mind replayed that moment over and over again. That moment when she broke in tears like an heartbroken lover. It was a sudden reaction that Jayden didn't expect.
