Ryan blurred together in a dizzy

in years-hope, warmth, and a tentative kind of joy. For the first time in a long tim

sweet emojis, surprised her with coffee runs, and showed up at meetings with that mischievous grin that made h

nd Maya said one afternoon over

to believe in Ryan, but a small voice insi

asn't supposed to be perfect-no relationship was. And Rya

hing it off with a laugh. He canceled plans when work got hectic, promising to make it

re guarded. He'd step away to answer, whispering hurried words that made Liana's stomach twist. When

r with Ryan. She cooked her favorite pasta, set the table for two, and d

a message: "Running lat

y, had to work through a meet

stood. Ryan's world was demanding, and she wanted to be supportive. But that ni

ractions. He was impatient during meetings, curt in texts, and sometimes see

sked one afternoon, watching

red but soft. "Yeah, ju

alk to me,

She wanted to believe him. Wanted to believe that their c

Liana surprised Ryan with tickets to a concert he'd mentioned wantin

ke it, citing a last-minute business trip, the

forward to it," s

y, Liana. I hate

t's okay. We can do so

nd came and went,

o overthink, and to give Ryan the benefit of the doubt. After all, he was ambitious, and succes

end of the room-talking closely with a woman she didn't recognize. They lau

reath

and brushed the woman's a

nd her, he looked surpr

id, a little

a asked, trying to k

ague," he rep

unease inside her ti

ver and over. Her heart wanted to trust him, but her

r Ryan, yes-but als

wing herself into work. She told herself that Ryan's wo

questions

her when she aske

he was unreachable,

she was chasing a man

break together, Liana decided to conf

need to know. Are you

d. For a moment, Liana though

d. "I'm serious about us, L

earned," she

r her hand, s

Liana wanted to believe him so badly

him to arrive. Her phone buzzed with a text: "I'm sorry, can't make it." Heart pounding, she left the restaurant and headed toward Ryan's apartment, hoping for an explanation. When she reached his door, it was ajar. Inside, the unmistakable sound of laughter echoed through the hall. Her breath caught as she stepped inside. In the dim light, she saw Ryan-not alone, but with a woman she didn't know. They turned toward her, surprised. The woman's smile was unapologetic. Ryan's expression was a mixture of guilt and something else-shame, maybe. Liana's world shattered. At that moment, all the warnings, the unanswered questions, the late nights, and broken pr