/1/124336/coverbig.jpg?v=20260730163127&imageMogr2/format/webp)
ckered, casting a warm, hopeful glow in her hazel eyes. Tonight was the five-year anniversary of the d
quisitely wrapped blue box on the sofa. Inside rested a pair of silver cufflinks she
ar, tiny knot of anxiety tightened in her stomach. She picked up her phone
lyn shot to her feet, a wide
ion and stale liquor. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the candlelit dinner. "Wow, Addy. You w
a fraction of a seco
ing between the cushions. "Gotta take a shower," he mumbled, heading for the
name glowed: Bambi Steele, followed by a deer emoji. Adalyn's heart skipp
ok away. It lit up a third time. A message preview hovered on the lock screen:
fingers were cold, trembling as she reached for the phone. Her mind was
ce of numbers. Her birthday. T
oded her vision, sucking the air from her lungs. A selfie of Bambi
le today, Bambi. Like a lost fawn.
rough weeks of late-night conversations. They tal
en. "But she doesn't get me. It
ou. I feel like we're t
She kept scrolling, drawn to the fi
Do you l
I feel alive. Sometimes I think the connection my soul
The phone slipped from her numb fin
. "Addy? You out there?"
rs, snuffed out the candle. The wick hissed, a final, dying breath. She left the wrapped cufflink
nd his waist, he found an empty living room, a table of c
/1/124336/coverbig.jpg?v=20260730163127&imageMogr2/format/webp)