e believed that when someone loved you, they didn't give you reasons to question them-only space to belie

ment was t

nd a casual love you. But it was after ten, and Liana had been staring at the same spreadsheet for over a

usy. Something colder. A dull ache that told her she was no lo

h him. Odd. Ryan never went to work without it. That bag was his lifeline-fille

lse qui

ding sessions he'd claimed to be consumed by. Lately, he'd been more married to his startup than t

bag before she could

e liked to think. After three guesses-his birthday, then hers, then the na

hesit

u, a voice ins

d sharper, hissed back: He's

hen emails. Her heart pounded harder with each scroll. And t

dis

ways laughing a little too hard at Ryan's jokes. There had been a look in her eyes, then. Curious.

reen told he

-the quiet confessions, the inside jokes, the late-night musings that always ended with

to stopped

ing up a cocktail with

e here. Miss

stamp? La

er fingers icy ag

t Fr

ack investor meetings. The night he'd promised to make it up to her. The night he didn't say happy b

sed the laptop with shaki

a betrayal-slow, subtle, insidious. The kind that crept

hone b

Sorry, late at night.

t the screen. T

f gut instincts, of growing distance, of sleeping back-to-ba

idn't

from under the bed. Her movements were mechanical, detached. Grey sweater. Jean

She was sitting on the edge of the couc

wrong, swinging a brown paper bag that smelled of ginger and lemongr

son?" she as

oze mi

too quickly, vo

he repeated. "

d says she misses you on Fridays

It didn't need to. The

y. "Wait-hold on. You

e." Her tone was

do when everything in my gut

messages, Liana. That's a viola

Don't twist this into me breaking your

her," he said, too fas

u've already given her what matters. Time. Attention. Affection.

a huff. "You're being parano

lie about

dn't a

ut her eyes were steel. "R

barest tilt of his head. Not

the air leav

he mumbled. "It was just once. We w

ure slipped for the first time as tears welled in her eyes. "I

e urgent. "Li, come on. Don'

"No, Ryan. You brok

ed, growing desperate now. "I'v

now. "Because the launch was hard? Beca

s mouth. Noth

her bag and wal

ng?" he asked, voic

e said honestly. "A

rned th

ana-

over her shoulder. One tea

she whispered. "And it

losing the door s

idn't

dn't n

the other side

ment, breathing it in, letting it sting her lungs. Her bag hung from her shoulder, h

ept waiting to be chosen

dy but her direction clear. Her heart ached, but un

sol

t. But she knew what she was walking aw