Unrequited Love

Chapter 25 : Truth

As Alex reached for the door handle, his eyes caught sight of a photograph dangling from Kyra's rearview mirror. It was a snapshot of Kyra and Finn, their smiles frozen in time, a silent testament to the bond they shared.

A surge of conflicting emotions washed over Alex as he stared at the photo, his heart constricting with a mix of jealousy, longing, and uncertainty. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and plucked the photo from the mirror, clutching it tightly in his hand as he stepped out of the car and into the cool night air.

The photo felt heavy in his hand, a tangible reminder of the connection between Kyra and Finn—a connection he couldn't ignore, no matter how much he wished he could. With each step he took away from the car, he felt the weight of the photo pressing down on him, urging him to confront the truth he had been avoiding.

As he turned back to face Kyra, he felt a lump form in his throat. He knew he couldn't keep this to himself any longer—he had to confront her about what he had seen, about the feelings that had been simmering beneath the surface for far too long.

"What the hell is this, Kyra? who is this?"

Alex's voice sliced through the quiet of the beach, his tone edged with disbelief and a hint of betrayal. "Kyra, what's this?" he demanded, thrusting the photo toward her, his fingers trembling with a mix of anger and hurt.

Kyra's breath caught in her throat as she saw the photo in his hand—a snapshot of her and Finn, smiling together at a recent beach outing. She could feel the weight of Alex's gaze on her, searching for answers she wasn't sure she could provide.

"It's... it's Finn," she finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's... he's my boyfriend."

The words hung in the air between them, heavy with the weight of their shared history and the unspoken truth of Kyra's newfound happiness. But instead of relief, she saw only pain flicker across Alex's face, his eyes dark with a mixture of sorrow and anger.

"Your boyfriend," he repeated, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. "After everything we've been through, you just... moved on?"

Kyra felt a pang of guilt twist in her chest at the raw emotion in Alex's voice. She reached out a hand, as if to comfort him, but he pulled away, his expression hardening with resolve.

"I can't do this," he said, his voice strained. "I can't pretend like this doesn't hurt, like I'm okay with you being with someone else."

Kyra's heart ached at his words, but she knew that she couldn't change how she felt. Finn had brought light back into her life after so much darkness, and she couldn't bear to lose that.

Kyra's words hung in the air, a sharp retort to Alex's accusation. "And what about you, Alex?" she countered, her voice tinged with frustration and hurt. "You've moved on too. You're engaged to Aldora now."

The truth of her words hit home, casting a shadow over the tension-filled silence that stretched between them. Kyra could see the turmoil in Alex's eyes, the conflict raging within him as he struggled to reconcile the past with the present.

"It's not the same," he protested, his voice barely above a whisper. "I thought... I thought we had something special, Kyra. Something that could withstand anything."

"You're just like her, Kyra," Alex accused, his voice laced with bitterness. "You're just like Aldora—always putting your own happiness above everyone else's."

Kyra's eyes flashed with anger at the unfair accusation. "Don't you dare compare me to her," she shot back, her voice trembling with emotion. "I've never tried to control you, Alex. I've never forced you to choose between me and someone else."