Aspen's expression darkened as she watched Christina nervously hover her thumb over the call button. "Christie, are you sure you want to make this call? You and Andrew have already gone your separate ways. What's the point of reaching out now?"

Christina bit her lip, her anxiety plain to see. "Honestly, I don't even know what I want to say. But… I need to know. I need to hear his voice. I need to know if he really hates me as much as I think he does."

Aspen did not say another word. She just leaned back and crossed her arms, her eyes cold with indifference.

'What a waste of time', she thought, 'Andrew is long gone—probably feeding worms in a coffin by now. This phone call is pointless.'

Still, if Christina wanted to chase ghosts, so be it. The phone would either go straight to voicemail, or someone else would pick up. Andrew was not alive to answer.

To Aspen's surprise, the call connected.

"Hello?" came Andrew's familiar voice on the other end.

Christina's heart leaped. S