LEFT AT MY LOWEST, LOVED AT MY BEST

JESSICA'S POV

I still remember the first time I laid eyes on Desmond. It wasn't in some fairytale setting, nor was it a moment orchestrated by fate. It was ordinary so simple that, at the time, I never imagined he would become the love of my life.

We met at a small coffee shop near the university. I was there, buried in books, trying to prepare for an exam, while he sat across from me, frustrated with his laptop. A sigh escaped him, long and weary, and I found myself looking up. His face was twisted in concentration, his fingers raking through his thick hair as he muttered something under his breath.

Hey "Need help?" I asked before I could stop myself.

His eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw the storm of emotions swirling within them determination, stress, and something else. Something deeper.

"You know anything about business strategy?" he asked hesitantly, as if not expecting me to actually say yes.

I smirked, closing my book. "Try me."

That was the beginning. The moment our worlds intertwined.

From that day on, we became inseparable. What started as study sessions and coffee shop debates soon turned into long phone calls at night, stolen kisses in between lectures, and dreams woven into whispered promises.

Desmond was different. He wasn't just another man looking for an easy way out. He was ambitious, driven he had dreams bigger than himself, and I loved that about him. He wanted to build something from the ground up, to create a life where neither of us would have to struggle.

And I believed in him.

Maybe that was my greatest strength. Or my greatest weakness.

It wasn't long before we knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.

We married young some said too young. They warned us about the sacrifices, the weight of responsibility that came with commitment. But we didn't care. We had love. And wasn't that enough?

"Jessica, I'll make you the happiest woman in the world," Desmond had whispered to me on our wedding night, his arms wrapped tightly around me as if he never wanted to let go.

And for a while, he did.

Those first few years were tough, but we faced everything together. We had nothing but each other, and that was more than enough. We lived in a tiny apartment where the walls were too thin, and the kitchen was barely big enough for the both of us, but I never complained.

We spent nights working late, side by side, trying to build his dreams into reality. Desmond had started his own company a small business in the finance sector. It was slow, difficult, and exhausting, but I believed in him. I helped him draft contracts, handle clients, and even do research to keep him ahead of the competition.

"One day, we'll look back at this and laugh," he'd say, pulling me into his arms after a long night of work. "We'll be in our dream house, sipping expensive wine, and remembering how we started with just an old laptop and a head full of dreams."

I smiled at the thought. That was our future our promised forever.

And I would do anything to make it happen.

But love, as I would later learn, can sometimes blind you.

Looking back now, I wonder if the signs were always there subtle at first, easy to ignore.

It started with small things.

Desmond became more restless, more consumed by his work. I told myself it was normal. After all, we were chasing something bigger than ourselves. Late nights turned into early mornings. Phone calls became shorter. He missed dinners, then anniversaries, then moments I thought were important.

But I forgave him. Because I loved him.

And love, I thought, was about patience.

"Jess, you understand, right?" he'd say whenever I voiced my feelings. "I'm doing this for us. For our future."

And every time, I'd nod. Because how could I not understand? I had watched him struggle, fight, and push himself beyond limits.

Still, there were nights when loneliness crept in. Nights when I longed for the version of Desmond who had once promised me the world.

But relationships had ups and downs, right?

At least, that's what I told myself.

Despite the exhaustion, despite the distance slowly creeping in, I never once doubted his love for me.

When he held me at night, his touch still felt like home. When he looked at me, there was still warmth in his gaze.

Our future was bright. The business was finally taking off. We had started talking about buying a house, maybe even starting a family.

Desmond was on the verge of something great, and I was right there beside him, just as I had always been.

But there was one thing I didn't know.

One thing I never saw coming.

Desmond's love, once pure and unwavering, was slowly shifting.

And the cracks in our perfect life were about to grow.

It was a cold evening when I first noticed something was different.

Desmond had been working late more often, coming home with a tired smile and a distracted mind. But that night, something felt... off.

His phone buzzed on the table, and for the first time, he didn't pick it up right away. He hesitated. A flicker of something crossed his face something I couldn't place.

"Who's that?" I asked casually, not expecting anything unusual.

He blinked, too quickly. "Just a client."

I nodded, but a strange feeling settled in my stomach.

Desmond had always been open with his work. He never hesitated to discuss deals, contracts, or negotiations with me. But lately, he had been distant. Reserved.

And now, for the first time, I felt like an outsider in his world.

That night, I lay beside him, staring at the ceiling, a strange unease settling in my heart.

Desmond loved me. I knew he did.

But something was changing.