Author's POV:
Tuesday morning came with the same hum of routine — alarm, stretch, checklist — yet everything felt slightly offbeat, like a familiar song playing half a note too slow. Elise moved through her morning on autopilot, brushing her hair, slipping into a beige cardigan, and staring blankly at her reflection. Her mind replayed David’s words from the café over and over like a scratched record.
"You know better."
The phrase had lodged itself somewhere beneath her ribs, sharp and heavy. It wasn’t what he said, not exactly — it was what it meant. The subtle weight of disappointment, the quiet suggestion that she was someone who needed to be measured, kept in line. Elise wasn’t naive; she knew David’s concern came from care. But somehow, the care had felt more like a leash than comfo
