Running Carriage: The Moment that Slipped Through the Hands

Shattered Illusions

Rumors reached Penelope that Colin had returned, but not alone. She didn't want to believe it. She needed some fresh air.

Penelope slowly walked through the park, enjoying the cool evening air and the whisper of the leaves. Thoughts of the past and future, hopes, and fears swirled in her head. Unexpectedly, the sounds of laughter interrupted her dreamy state. She stopped, her gaze focused ahead, and her heart began to beat faster.

There, in the distance, among the trees, she saw them—Colin and an unknown woman. At first, Penelope couldn't believe her eyes. She slowly approached, feeling her heart tighten in her chest. They laughed, exchanging jokes, and it was like a lightning strike to her heart.

She couldn't hold back the tears, but she tried to make sure no one noticed her state. Inside, her soul wrestled with a fire of doubts and fear about the future. Who was this woman next to Colin? And how could she fit into his new life?

Penelope held onto a tree to keep from falling. Tears flickered in her eyes, but she held them back, not wanting to show her weakness in front of them. She stood there, paralyzed, as if frozen in time, watching their happiness, which seemed unattainable to her.

She tried to listen to their conversation, and at that moment, she suddenly remembered how she used to sit and eavesdrop on Colin and Marina, feeling utterly miserable.

The words she heard split her world in two. Colin and the stranger were talking about the future, about a child. Penelope couldn't believe her ears. She gasped from the pain and bitterness that enveloped her. All her dreams of Colin's return collapsed, leaving only emptiness and destruction in her heart.

Penelope turned away, trying to cope with her emotions. Thoughts swirled in her head about how she had been mistaken in her hopes, how she had allowed herself to dream of Colin's return, hoping they could reunite. But now it was all just an illusion, shattered by reality.

Through her tears, she saw Colin embrace the woman, and that was the last straw. She turned and ran away from that place, trying to escape the pain tearing her apart. Her legs carried her forward, but her heart remained empty and desperate.

Her heart pounded so loudly it seemed like everyone around could hear it. Her footsteps echoed in unison with her heartbeat, reminding her of her pain and loss. Each step was like a knife stab to her soul, but she couldn't stop.

Penelope felt the tears streaming down her cheeks, beyond her control. She wanted to stop, to hide from the pain, but her legs kept carrying her further, away from the bitter scene burning her soul.

Finally, she found a secluded spot in the park and sat on a bench, clenching her fists. Her eyes were full of tears, and her heart was broken into pieces. She didn't know how to go on living, how to cope with the pain that filled every part of her.

There, in the quiet of the park, she allowed herself to cry, giving in to her emotions until the pain began to subside, leaving only a shadow of what once was.

Penelope returned home, but her thoughts still revolved around what she had seen in the park. She couldn't believe that Colin had returned with someone else, although she had sent him away that day. Mixed feelings of anger, hurt, and sadness tore at her soul.

She decided to distract herself and do something to forget her pain. Taking a book from the shelf, she sat in a cozy chair by the window, immersing herself in a world of adventure and fantasy. But even the words on the pages couldn't fully distract her from what had happened in the park.

Sitting there, she thought about her feelings for Colin. Was it just attachment to the past, or did she still feel something for him? Maybe she just didn't want to admit the truth to herself because it would be too painful.