Hard decision

The soft hum of the city filtered in through the windows, the distant sounds of honking cars and the occasional murmur of pedestrians grounding me to the present. But even with all that noise, my mind was loud.

I sighed, curling my legs underneath me on the couch.

Three weeks since Valentine's Day.

Eight months since Carmen proposed.

And now, wedding plans were officially starting.

Carmen, of course, was already deep into the preparations. She had started making lists, reaching out to venues, and—most importantly—choosing the guest list.

That was what had me feeling like I had swallowed a rock.

Because the moment the word guest list had been uttered, my stomach had dropped.

Family.

The thought alone made me feel like I was teetering on the edge of a cliff, staring down into something dark and uncertain.