Chapter 4

That evening, Daniel stubbornly insisted on staying, claiming he couldn't abandon me in my current condition. His words flowed smoothly, his voice carefully controlled, but they sounded artificial—like lines from a poorly memorized script. I stood there, observing him. After an extended pause, I finally murmured, "Suit yourself."

Without waiting for him to reply, I moved towards my bedroom. I heard his footsteps close behind, but as he attempted to enter, I quickly closed the door and locked it.

"Lenore," his voice came through the barrier, gentle yet persistent. "I'll be right here. Whenever you're ready to chat, just come out, alright?"

His tone lacked the anger or frustration I had anticipated. Somehow, that made it even more unbearable.

I disregarded him as warm tears streamed down my face, falling onto my cold hands. The stark difference stung, a constant reminder of my inner turmoil.

I collapsed onto the bed's edge, hugging myself tightly as if trying to keep myself from falling apart. Daniel, I wish I could stop loving you. The thought flitted through my mind like a quiet plea, simultaneously liberating and suffocating.

The following morning, I awoke feeling groggy and confused, still burdened by the previous night's events. I massaged my temples, attempting to alleviate the dull pain spreading across my head, before forcing myself out of bed.

As I entered the living room, I spotted Daniel hastily putting on his coat.

"Lenore, I've got an urgent matter to attend to," he said brusquely. "I'll return this evening to collect you. Let's have dinner out, alright?"

Before I could answer, he was already halfway out the door. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished.

I exhaled slowly, my gaze drifting to the couch where he had slept. Something shiny caught my eye on the cushions—his phone. He must have left in such a hurry that he'd forgotten it.

I picked it up, hesitating. I considered calling him later to return it, but before I could decide, the screen illuminated with a notification.

Daniel hadn't secured his phone with a password, and the message appeared clearly on the screen. What I saw made my insides twist. My grip tightened on the phone as I stared at the message, my heart racing in my chest.