The morning after the gala, Asher woke to the dull gray light of his modest apartment filtering through the blinds. The memory of Bella’s laughter and the polite but condescending smiles of her friends still lingered in his mind, like a low hum he couldn’t shake. He poured himself a cup of black coffee, savoring the bitter warmth, and stared out the window at the bustling city below. The streets seemed quieter now, yet in his chest, the noise hadn’t faded.
He had loved her from the first moment their paths collided, from the playful exchange on the crowded sidewalk to their long evenings at quiet cafés. But last night had been a stark reminder of the gap between their worlds—a chasm he had willingly ignored in the name of love.
When Bella texted him that morning, it was all sunshine and
