JULIET TAYLOR

“Hi, Chris,” I said, trying to mask the pain in my voice. I wasn’t going to burden him with the chaos of my life, but deep down, I needed reassurance—desperately so.

“Hey, I just wanted to check on you. Are you doing okay?” he asked, his voice laced with genuine concern. For a moment, I wanted to spill everything, to let out the storm of pain and hurt swirling inside me. But… no. It didn’t feel right. Not now.

“I’m okay,” I lied, forcing a lightness ...