EVIL PICTURE OF PERFECTION

Time passed, days passed, weeks and Months had come and gone since Ann and Tobias had last spoken.

Life had moved on in ways neither of them had anticipated.

Ann had filled her days with new routines, new friends, and new challenges.

She had grown into a version of herself she had not known it's existed, and while it hadn't always been easy, there was a quiet strength in her now.

She had learned to stand on her own, to rely on her own voice, and to embrace the journey of self discovery.

Tobias too had changed. He had embraced the solitude that followed their parting, and though there were times when the memories of Ann crept into his thoughts, he no longer found himself drowning in them.

He had built a life for himself one that was full of new connections and opportunities. The echo of their time together lingered, but it wasn't a weight he carried anymore.

It had transformed into something more like a folded memory, a chapter in his life that helped shape who he was now.

Ann and Tobias sit on the edge of a quiet park bench, the soft rustling of leaves, the only sound breaking the silence between them. The weight of the conversation is heavy in the air, and the finality of the moment presses on their shoulders.

Ann takes a deep breath, the words she's about to say feeling like a weight she can't carry any longer.

Tobias watches her, his eyes filled with quiet desperation, trying to read her, to understand her.

"I've been thinking a lot about this," Ann begins, her voice steady but strained, "and I don't think I can do this anymore. I need time, Tobias. Time to figure things out. I need to focus on myself, on what makes me whole again. I can't keep being pulled in two directions. And right now... I need space from you."

Tobias looks at her, his heart sinking. He opens his mouth, but the words catch in his throat. He wants to say something, to make her understand, but deep down he knows that she has made up her mind. His eyes search hers, looking for something or anything to hold on to.

"Ann…" His voice cracks slightly, betraying the pain he feels. "I don't understand. You... you've changed. You've been pulling away for weeks. What happened? What did I do wrong?"

Ann shakes her head, her eyes welling up with tears.

"It's not you, Tobias. It's me. It's something I need to do for myself. I've lost a part of me, and I need to find it again. And... I can't keep being in a relationship when I don't even know who I am anymore. I'm sorry."

Tobias stares at her for a moment, taking in the weight of her words. The air feels thick with the sadness of what's about to be lost. He reaches for her hand, but Ann pulls away gently.

"Please... don't," she whispers.

He nods slowly, a silent acknowledgment that the distance between them has become too wide to bridge.

"I guess this is it, then," Tobias says softly, his voice barely audible.

Ann nods, wiping her eyes. "Yeah. This is it."

They sit in silence for a few moments, both knowing that this is the end of something beautiful,

something they both fought for.

With a deep, shaky breath, Ann stands up, her legs unsteady but determined. She takes one last look at Tobias, a soft, sad smile pulling at her lips. "Goodbye, Tobias."

"Goodbye, Ann," he replies, his voice thick with emotion.

As Ann walks away, the weight of the separation settles on them both.

It's over.

Later that day when Ann gets back home .Her father, John, greets her at the door with a warm smile, but Ann can already tell something's different. His attention isn't fully on her, his eyes flicking to her stepsister, vic, who stands off to the side.

"Oh, Ann! You're finally here," John says, pulling her into a hug, his embrace slightly more strained than she remembers. "I've been so looking forward to seeing you. Victoria been such a big help around here lately." His words come with an almost imperceptible hint of pride.

Ann's stomach tightens. She feels the shift in the air as her father's gaze lingers a little too long on victori, his tone a little too warm. Ann can feel the subtle but unmistakable favoritism , a dynamic that has only grown since her father married victoria's mother a few years ago.

"Thanks, Dad," Ann says,

Trying to keep her voice even. She forces a smile as Victoria looks at her, the unspoken tension between them making the air heavier.

Ann knows it's always been this way. Her father's affection has always tilted toward Victoria as his biological daughter, while making Ann, his stepdaughter, has often been sidelined. She's used to it by now, but the sting still lingers.

Jonh pats Victoria on the back. " Victoria been so busy with school and helping around here. You should spend some time with her. I think you two could really use some bonding."

Ann nods, her chest tight as she tries to swallow the frustration that threatens to rise.

"Yeah, of course."

Victoria , ever the picture of perfection in her father's eyes, gives Ann a tight smile. "I'm sure we'll catch up," she says, though Ann can sense the subtle competition in her words.

As Ann looks around the house, she feels the weight of expectations pressing down on her. She should be happy to be home, but the dynamics with her father and Victoria make everything feel off, as though she's constantly living in someone else's shadow.

"Anyway, I should get to work," Ann says, forcing herself to break away from the discomfort. "I've got a lot to figure out while I'm here."

John nods but doesn't seem to fully register her words, his focus still on Victoria .

Ann gives them both one last glance before she walks toward her old room.

The silence between her and her father growing louder with every step.

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