ELISA’S POV
The sound of clattering pots and the steady rhythm of chopping filled the kitchen, but my mind wasn’t really here. I stood by the counter, hands moving automatically as I diced vegetables, though half the pieces came out uneven. My thoughts drifted, circling back to the same thing they had all morning.
Azrien.
I bit down hard on my lip and forced myself to focus on the carrots under my knife. Still, his face kept slipping into my mind—the way his eyes had darkened when he told me he was leaving, the hesitation in his voice, the finality of his words.
Why did it hurt this much? Why was I this angry? It wasn’t as if we were family. It wasn’t as if we were… together. Except for the promise he made—which, let’s be honest, was probably just his way of making me feel better and a
