|| Lilac’s POV ||

The night had been long and restless, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Elias was leaving for the border today, and while a part of me felt relieved, another part was tangled in guilt and confusion. I didn’t know what to do, how to feel, or even how to process the mess my life had become. I stayed up late, staring at the ceiling, my thoughts racing in circles until exhaustion finally pulled me into a fitful sleep.

When I woke, it was to the sound ...