Skin‑Deep Longing

Diagnosed with Skin Hunger at twelve, Layla has spent years depending on her childhood friend Colin to calm painful flare-ups. But Colin turns her condition into a weapon, humiliating her while chasing other women and insisting she can never live without him. When his cruelty finally pushes her away, hockey captain Alex unexpectedly becomes her refuge. Gentle, protective, and secretly devoted to her since freshman year, Alex helps Layla face both her illness and her shame. As Colin grows jealous