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she had a marvelous time ruining everything.
⋆ ★
THE GARDEN was bathed in the soft hues of twilight, casting long shadows across the lush greenery. Ivory stood at their spot, the place where she and Edmund had shared countless moments of laughter and love. Now, it felt like a distant memory tainted by betrayal.
Her hands trembled as she clutched the letters from Edmund, each one a testament to their past happiness. Tears threatened to spill over, but she refused to let them. Instead, she focused on the flames flickering in the small pit she had prepared. The letters lay before her, neatly stacked, each word a dagger in her heart.
"Just stay where you are," Ivory said icily as Edmund approached, his expression a mix of pain and regret. "I can't trust myself around you right now."
Edmund stopped, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Ivory, please," he began, his voice pleading. "Let me explain—"
"Don't think you can talk your way back into my arms," Ivory interrupted, her tone cutting through the air like a knife. She met his gaze, her eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and hurt.
Edmund took a step back, as if her words had physically pushed him away. "I understand," he said softly, though his eyes betrayed the turmoil within him.
Ivory scoffed bitterly, her fingers tightening around the letters. "Do you?" she retorted, her voice cracking with emotion. "Because I don't. I don't understand how you could just throw away everything we had."
Edmund swallowed hard, his jaw clenched. "I didn't throw it away, Ivory," he insisted, his voice tinged with desperation. "I made a mistake, a terrible mistake, and I'm-."
Ivory scoffed and interrupted him, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "Sorry doesn't fix this," she said coldly. "I trusted you, Edmund. I believed in us."
He looked at her helplessly, his eyes pleading for understanding. "I know," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness."
"No, you don't," Ivory agreed sharply, her voice wavering despite her resolve. She took a deep breath, steeling herself against the pain. "I'm burning these," she announced, gesturing to the letters. "You can stand over there and watch if you want. I don't know who you are anymore."
Edmund's expression twisted in anguish, his eyes locked on the letters as Ivory tossed them one by one into the flames. Each piece of paper ignited, curling and blackening in the fire. With each letter consumed by the flames, Ivory felt a piece of her heart harden against the man who had once held it so gently.
"I have so much to learn," Ivory muttered bitterly, her eyes never leaving the fire. "About trust, about love... about you."
Silence settled between them, heavy with unspoken words and shattered dreams. Ivory turned away, unable to bear the sight of Edmund's wounded expression any longer. She walked briskly toward the garden gate, her steps echoing in the quiet night.
