CHAPTER 19 Let me forget everything

　　Eliza's pov

　　The morning had passed in a haze, the excitement of my mother's planned get-together overshadowed by the sinking feeling in my chest. I couldn't shake the image of Cavin and Natalie, their laughter and whispers intertwining like a cruel melody. I wanted to brush it off, to ignore the twisting knot in my stomach, but the memory lingered like an unwanted shadow.

　　As I sat in my room, my thoughts spiraled, and the bright sunlight streaming through my window felt too harsh. I wanted to forget, to escape the tumult in my mind. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

　　"Hey, Eliza, can I come in?" Nikolai's voice was warm, cutting through the silence like a lifeline.

　　"Yeah, come in," I replied, attempting to put on a brave face.

　　Nikolai stepped in, his usual cheerful demeanor instantly brightening the room. "You look a bit down. What's up?"

　　I forced a smile, but it didn't quite reach my eyes. "Just...thinking."