. The pain from his betrayal had settled into something darker, deeper-like a wound that refused to heal. Even as the

self off from the world once again. The quiet, empty space felt

begged for her forgiveness countless times over the past weeks, but each time she refused to hear it. It wasn't just

from her, all to protect his perfect image of their life together. And that was som

again. Another me

ear to you, I didn't want any of this to happen. Please, just gi

even say that word after everything he had done? After how he had kept her in the dark for so long? The love sh

o ignore it, but something inside her told her to answer. Maybe it was a s

face drawn with concern. His normally confident demeanor was gone, replaced with something fragile-some

. And I don't deserve your forgiveness, not yet, but please-just hear me out.

"You think you can just show up here, and I'm supposed t

I was so wrong to keep Elias from you, to keep everything from you. I was afraid of losing you-of ruining everything we built together. But I

ouldn't let him manipulate her again, couldn't let him twist her emotions into so

hought I knew would never do something like this. You-we-had a life together, and you kept

to speak, but no words came out. His eyes filled with frus

r lives-you would never have to know. I was wrong, I know that. I should've told you the truth from the beginning. But y

fe with me. You thought you could just hide it away, and I would be okay with it. But you were wrong. You took my

elt like a dagger, every sentence a truth she had been holding in for too long. She

her voice trembling with emotion. "I can't d

had made up her mind. She couldn't keep living like this, constantly questioning ever

leaded. "I love yo

d heard them too many times before,

storm raging inside her. "I hope you find the peace you'

ng to read her expression, to find some sign that she would cha

behind him. Her knees gave out, and she sank to the floor, tears streaming down her face. Sh

e first step toward healing. She couldn't change what had happened, but she could take control of her future.