His apology had been hollow, a string of words that didn’t align with the truth she saw in his eyes. It wasn’t just the heartbreak—it was the confusion, the annoying sense of dissatisfaction that there was more he wasn’t telling her.

But the days that followed brought no clarity, only more pain. Each passing moment seemed designed to torment her. She watched him from afar, surrounded by his friends, laughing, practicing, and carrying on as though nothing had happened. ...