Tortured by love

It had been three years since Lily's world had shattered. Three years since the man she had trusted with every piece of her heart, the man who had promised her forever, had walked away without a word. And yet, as she stood in front of her apartment window, watching the rain pour down, the ache in her chest felt as raw and fresh as the moment he had left.

Her fingers traced the cool glass, the drops of rain blurring her reflection. She didn't recognize the woman staring back at her anymore. Gone was the carefree, vibrant girl who had fallen for James in the first place,the girl who he had laughed with abandoned, the girl who had believed in love with all her heart. In her place stood someone colder, someone afraid to trust, afraid to love again.

But even now, after all this time, the memories haunted her. She closed her eyes, and there he was again-his smile, the warmth of his touch, the way he had kissed her as if the world around them didn't exist. He had made promises, promises that now felt like cruel lies.

"Maybe it was all just a dream," she whispered to the empty room, her voice breaking in a way she hated. She hated sounding weak, hated feeling like she was still trapped in the past, but there it was. The wound still open.

Lily pulled away from the window and moved to the kitchen, where the quiet sound of the refrigerator was the only sound that kept her company. She grabbed a glass from the cabinet, the dull clink of it almost mocking her. She poured herself a glass of red wine, because it felt right for the weight she carried. Sipping it slowly, she thought about how far she had come since the day James had left. How much of herself she had given away trying to hold on, trying to fix something that wasn't her fault.

He had been her everything, her anchor. And when he left, so had her sense of self.

But there was something she'd never quite let go of-hope. Even now, she held onto that fragile thread, a part of her still wondering if he would return, if the love they had could somehow find its way back. Maybe that was what tortured her the most. The what-ifs, the unanswered questions.

What had gone wrong?

What was it about her that hadn't been enough?

The sting of those questions never dulled. She set the glass down and leaned against the counter, letting the silence envelop her. She wasn't looking for closure anymore-she was too tired for that. But there was a part of her that needed to understand, even if that meant facing her past head-on.

Suddenly, the sound of a knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she dared to hope. Could it be him? Could it be James, back after all these years to explain himself, to make things right?

Lily's breath caught in her throat as she walked cautiously toward the door. She peered through the peephole, only to find a man standing on the other side. He wasn't James, but the sight of him still caused her pulse to race.

The stranger was tall, his figure broad and imposing. His face, however, was partially obscured by the hood of his jacket, but something in his posture made her hesitate. Something about him felt... familiar. A gut feeling, an unshakable pull in her chest that she couldn't explain.

She opened the door a little , her voice shaky as she asked, "Can I help you?"

The man lifted his head, revealing a set of striking, almost haunting eyes that sent a shiver down her spine. His gaze was intense, as if he were searching for something-perhaps her. She froze, unable to look away.

"I'm sorry to bother you," he said, his voice low, almost apologetic. "I was wondering if you might know where I could find someone."

Lily swallowed hard, unsure of why her heart was racing, but the man's presence made her feel as though everything she had tried to bury was suddenly bubbling to the surface.

"Who are you looking for?" she asked, her voice steady despite the chaos stirring inside her.

"James," he replied.

Lily's heart lurched painfully in her chest. She blinked, the world suddenly feeling off-kilter. "James?" she whispered, almost to herself. "Why do you want to find James?"

The man hesitated, then nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. "I need to talk to him about some things that can't wait any longer."

Lily's mind spun. There was no way this was a coincidence. The man who had left her heartbroken, the man she had never truly stopped thinking about, was somehow connected to this stranger standing at her door.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice quivering. I don't know where he is.

The man looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "I see. He paused. "If you hear anything... please let him know I'm looking for him. It's important. Before she could respond, the man turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the doorway, heart pounding, her mind racing.

*James.*

The name echoed in her mind as the rain continued to fall outside. She had never expected to hear his name again, not like this. But the strange man's visit had stirred something in her-a spark of something she thought she had buried long ago. The ghosts of her past were rising again, and Lily knew, without a doubt, that her life was about to be overturn once more.