The Eve Before Forever

Shadow in the Glass

Amara couldn’t sleep. The image burned in her mind: Daniel’s i********: story, the skyline, the faint silhouette beside him. She had replayed it a dozen times, zoomed in until the pixels blurred, convincing herself, then doubting herself, then convincing herself again.

Maybe it’s just a trick of the light. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe…

But another voice whispered louder: Or maybe it’s everything you feared.

Her phone lay face down on the nightstand, but she still felt its weight. She wanted to call him, to demand an explanation, to scream until the truth spilled out. But she didn’t. She couldn’t.

Instead, she lay awake until dawn, her body still but her mind pacing endlessly.

The next morning, Daniel texted her as if nothing had happened.

Good morning, love. Hope you slept well. Can I see you tonight?

Amara stared at the screen, her thumb hovering over the keyboard. She typed Sure and hit send, though her heart wasn’t in it.

By evening, she was at his apartment again. He welcomed her with his usual warmth, kissing her cheek, pouring her a glass of wine. His smile was flawless, his charm intact—but Amara saw cracks now, tiny fractures beneath the surface.

As he talked about work, she nodded, but her eyes kept drifting to the window. The same kind of glass as in his story. She couldn’t unsee it.

“Amara?” His voice broke through her thoughts.

She blinked. “Hmm?”

“I asked if you wanted to try that new Thai place tomorrow night.”

“Oh. Yes. That sounds nice.”

He studied her for a moment, brow furrowing. “You’re quiet tonight.”

“I’m just tired,” she lied quickly, taking a sip of her wine.

He leaned over, brushing a hand against her cheek. “Don’t overwork yourself, hmm? I need my fiancée glowing.”

The word should have made her heart flutter. Instead, it pressed on her chest like a weight.

The next day, she met Ada again, but this time, she didn’t tell her about the i********: story. Not yet.

Ada was sharp, but also skeptical. She’d dismiss it as paranoia. And Amara wasn’t ready for that. Not when the evidence, faint as it was, sat etched in her memory.

Instead, she said, “Have you ever felt like someone you love is slowly… slipping away?”

Ada frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Daniel. He’s here, but not fully. It’s like there’s a part of him I can’t reach anymore.”

Ada tilted her head. “Amara, you’re projecting. Remember what I said—if something’s really wrong, it’ll show itself. You can’t keep chasing shadows.”

Amara forced a smile. “Maybe you’re right.”

But in her chest, the storm raged louder.

That night, Amara couldn’t resist. She opened Daniel’s profile again. The story was gone now—expired, like it had never existed.

But she had seen it.

She scrolled further, through old posts, searching for anything—any hint of another presence. Every blurred background, every half-cropped arm beside him at an event made her chest tighten.

Finally, she threw her phone down in frustration. “I’m losing my mind,” she whispered into the empty room.

But the silence offered no comfort.

Two days later, while at work, her phone buzzed with a message from Daniel: Going out of town for a quick trip. Just two days. Work stuff. Don’t worry.

She stared at it for a long time. Normally, he would’ve told her in person, or at least called. Now it was just a text.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, wanting to ask Where? With who? Why now? But she deleted the draft and simply replied: Safe travels.

When she hit send, her stomach turned. She didn’t believe him. Not fully.

That night, she called Ada again. This time, she almost told her everything. Almost.

But instead, she said softly, “Do you think… do you think love can blind us to the truth?”

Ada paused. “Yes. But it can also blind us to our own fears”. “The real question is, Amara—are you seeing Daniel clearly, or are you seeing the shadows of your past?”

Amara’s throat tightened. “I don’t know anymore.”

She lay awake again, staring at her ring. It gleamed beautifully, a promise of forever.

But every time she closed her eyes, she saw the reflection in the glass.

And the silhouette standing beside him.