~Joanna
I collapsed against the rough bark of a towering oak, my body trembling as sobs wracked through me. The tears flowed freely, unchecked, a physical release of the anguish and frustration I’d tried so hard to bury. How could Adrian move on so effortlessly, so quickly? It had been months, yet I still felt tethered to him, haunted by the shadow of what we’d shared—or what I thought we’d shared.
The ache in my chest was unbearable, a gnawing emptiness that refused to be ignored. I reached into my purse with trembling hands, pulling out my phone. My fingers hovered over the screen, indecisive and desperate. Should I call him? Text him? Maybe just ask if we could talk, even for a moment?
But what good would it do? The memory of our last conversation surfaced, raw and cutting. He had
