CLOVE

twenty-five

☘︎ clover ☘︎

I jolted awake abruptly, my heart pounding in my chest as I sat up in bed and listened. There was a loud crash coming from the living room, followed by the sound of shattering glass.

Panic immediately flooded my senses. Had someone broken in?

I looked over to the other side of the bed, expecting to see the familiar sight of Brennan sleeping next to me. But the sheets were cold and undisturbed, and it was clear that he hadn't been there in hours.

I felt a mixture of relief and confusion wash over me. If Brennan wasn't in the bedroom, then who could be making all that noise in the living room?

I tried to shake off the grogginess of sleep and focus on the sounds coming from the living room. There was no doubt about it - something was definitely going on out there.

Summoning up my courage, I threw back the covers and crept out of bed, carefully padding barefoot across the room towards the doorway.

I tiptoed into the living room, my heart beating rapidly as I surveyed the scene in front of me. The shattered remains of a lamp lay scattered on the floor, the glass shards catching the soft glow of the morning sunrise filtering through the window.

And there, sitting slumped on the couch, was Brennan. He had his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking slightly as if he was struggling to hold himself together.

I felt a pang of concern in my chest as I looked at him. He looked completely worn down, his body heavy with exhaustion and frustration. But there was something else there too - a raw, visceral emotion that I hadn't seen emanating from him before. Something that made my heart ache in response.

Carefully, I took a step forward, my footsteps barely making a sound against the hardwood floor.

"Brennan?" I said, my voice soft but clear. He jumped at the sound of my voice, his head snapping up to look at me. His eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, and it was clear that he had been crying.

He let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping further as he looked at me. "Hey," he said gruffly, his voice thick with emotion. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."

I walked over to the couch and sat down next to him, studying his face closely. He looked like a mess - his hair was sticking up in all directions, and there was a weary expression on his face.

"What happened?" I asked tentatively. "Are you okay?"

He let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his messy hair. "Do I look okay?" he said, his voice bitter. "I just had a breakdown in my living room. Does that sound like I'm okay?"

I felt a pang of sympathy in my heart. It was so unlike him to lose control like this, to let his emotions get the best of him. "What happened?" I repeated quietly.

He let out a ragged breath, his eyes fixing on a point on the wall in front of him. "I'm just tired," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm tired of everything. Work, stress, expectations, everything."

"Brennan..." I said softly, reaching out and placing a hand on his arm. "It's okay to feel overwhelmed. But you can't keep bottling it all up like this. It's not healthy."

He let out a bitter laugh again. "What choice do I have?" he said, his voice hoarse. "I'm the CEO of a major company now. I have a whole team depending on me to lead them. If I show any weakness, they'll eat me alive."

I squeezed his arm gently, feeling the tension in his muscles under my touch. "You don't always have to be strong," I said softly. "You're human too. You're allowed to show emotion."