Elara sat by the window of her apartment, the golden light of the setting sun casting long shadows across the floor. Her fingers traced the edges of a worn photograph - her and Mark, frozen in time, their smiles effortless, their eyes brimming with a love she once believed would last forever. It had been a year since he left, but the ache of his absence still clung to her like an old sweater, familiar and inescapable.
Liam loved her. She knew that. He adored her in ways she wished she could reciprocate. He brought her flowers just because, whispered sweet words into her ear, and filled her life with thoughtful gestures. Yet, every time he reached for her hand, she felt the weight of another's touch. Every time he said her name, she heard an echo of the past. She wanted to love him back - truly, wholly - but something inside her remained locked away, trapped in the pages of a chapter she wasn't ready to close. She had told herself that letting go meant forgetting, and forgetting felt like a betrayal. And so, she held on. To everything. To him.