ical weight, pressing down on her chest with the kind of heaviness that made it hard to breathe. Her

ugh the thick air like a blade. "You

made it clear. The decision wasn't just inevitable; it was already unfoldin

she said, her voice barely a whispe

and for a brief moment, the man who had once been her rock, her partner, felt like a stranger. "You've always been strong, Evelyn

ainst the world's expectations, carving a path of her own. She had worked too hard to let anyone-especially a man-pull her down. But Leo... Leo

d

ad to face

h a sense of dread, already knowing who it was. The screen flashed with a me

er chest. The board, her father's legacy, and her reputation were all at r

y. She had pushed him to the edge, and now, she was faced with the v

an't do this alone," she admitted softly. "I thought I could. I thought

there was a flicker of something in them. Was it ang

arely above a whisper, yet it resonated in the quiet room. "But I'm not sure you'll

st sight of the things that truly mattered-Leo, their love, their shared dreams. She had convinced herself that her ind

bling with the weight of the confession. "But I don't know how

ze never wavered from hers. "You can't, Eve

r mouth to argue, but no words came. Instead, she felt a tear slip down

nd back as if the contact burned. "I don't want to be your second choice. I don't want to be

credit for. He had been her partner, her support, and yet, she had treated him as an afterthought, as something to hold onto w

," she whispered, her voice break

away, walking toward the door. "Sometimes, Evelyn, you can'

top him, to tell him everything would be okay, but deep do

he remnants of a life she had almost lost. She had always prided herself on her ability to control e

ge from David was still on her phone, the reminder that time was running out. She couldn't

keys, ready to make the call

ision pressing on her shoulders. And then, as if by inst

d for a moment

ke from the other end. "We have some addi

he words echoed in her