The soft clinking of coffee cups and the hum of the café's atmosphere should have soothed me, but sitting across from Stella made me feel like I was suffocating. She had called me earlier, excited about spending time together. I didn’t have the strength to say no. So, here we were, sipping our lattes, but I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in my gut.
It didn’t help that she was glowing—her cheeks flushed with happiness, her eyes bright as she scrolled through her phone, looking for something to show me.
"You know," she began, a soft laugh escaping her lips, "Nicolas has been amazing lately. I honestly don’t know how I got so lucky with him."
My heart sank, and I tried to keep my expression neutral. "Oh?" I managed, my voice strained.
Stella nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! He’s been so
