The Silent Witness

Before

with a strange sense of peace-one she hadn't felt in weeks. As much as she was still processing everything, a part of her felt a subtle shift, as though she was stepping out of

a prison. She took a deep breath and stretched, pushing away the lingering

e were decisions to be made, people to face, and pieces

thoughts. It was an unknown number, but she did

an

d up the phone. The call ran

it was clear he'd been waiting fo

f. "I don't think we do, Leandro," she said, trying to kee

akes-huge mistakes-and I need to ex

charm, his confidence, his world. She had loved him, and part of her still did, even t

ly, her heart pounding in her chest. "You hurt me,

et me see you, and we can talk thi

distant memory of everything that had once been. But tha

ispered, and hung up befor

now. He had crossed a line, and Lia had learned her lesson

sts of

p up with. She had made the right decision, hadn't she? She'd stood her groun

Could there have been a c

rk, her phone buzzed again, thi

understand. But please, let's tal

calm, so collected-he had always known how to get under her skin. She couldn't deny that the pull between them had been undeniab

? A fool who lets these

the words felt like they were co

ns, Dorian. I'm don

was a sinking feeling in her stomach, a sense that nothing would ever truly be over with them. Their s

ting th

meetings, and emails to keep her mind off everything. But it didn't help. Not really. Every few moments, she

emptiness-the void that t

the quiet hallway. She could feel the weight of the evening ahead pressing on her, the uncertainty of wha

ed the front door and stopped for a moment, staring at the nameplate next to it. It had been a lo

finally take back c

expect

inside when the

a rush of adrenaline through her veins. She hesitated before walking to the d

s Lea

door. Instead, she leaned against it, her breath shallow as

g. Still, a part of her wanted to know what he had to say

he wa

to steady her racing heart. Her phone buzzed in her pocket again, but she ignored it. S

osing herself, of knowing she wasn't bound by the choices others made, was more liberating than she had ever imagined. Sh

mmer

ast decisions, Lia received an unexpected call.

om this. I know it's hard, but you can't keep letti

dro and Dorian, and her body ached from the constant tension. But deep down,

voice clear and steady. "It's time to f

ened. "Good. I'm p

ense of resolve. It's time to move on,