Joule stood in the dimly lit corridor, his back pressed against the cool wall as he stared at the closed door of the guest room. The faint murmur of voices from within reached his ears, muffled but unmistakable. He didn’t need to hear the words to know what was unfolding on the other side. The intimacy, the connection—he could feel it in the air, a palpable reminder of what he had lost.
It was ironic, he thought bitterly, how deeply he wanted to support Neoma in everything she desired. He had always prided himself on being the kind of person who put others first, who found joy in their happiness. And yet, here he was, consumed by a jealousy so raw it felt like it might tear him apart.
She had been his once. They had shared laughter, love, and moments that felt like they would last foreve
