Gabrielle's POV
The silence in the house was deafening, broken only by the soft ticking of the antique clock in the living room. I sat on the edge of my bed, clutching my knees, trying to push away the hurt that clung to me like a second skin.
Matthew had been distant, colder than usual, and I didn’t know how to fix it—or if I even could.
I missed him. Not just the charming, sarcastic Matthew I’d grown to know, but the quiet moments when he’d let his guard down, when his eyes would soften, and I’d feel like I was the only person in his world.
But now, he was slipping away.
A knock on my door startled me, and before I could respond, the door creaked open.
It was Julian.
“Hey,” he said, leaning against the doorframe with his usual casual grace. “You okay?”
I shrugged, not trusting my
