The tension between Lily and Samuel was visible, hanging in the air like a heavy cloud loaded with unspoken emotions and accumulated resentment. Lily closed her eyes for a moment, seeking to control the storm of feelings invading her, while tense silence filled the space between them.

　　She knew she needed to find a way to express what she was feeling, but the words seemed to elude her mind, elusive as shadows in the twilight. Samuel remained silent, his gaze seeking hers for ...