He was her brother's best friend. They were inseparable once, until life and distance pulled them apart. Now, after years of silence, fate reunites Renee Russel and Lando Norris.
Renee, a budding singer-songwriter, navigates the dazzling world of mu...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
CHAPTER 13
two people
"Why's it feel like you don't even know me? How are you looking at me like a stranger?"
The night was quiet, but the atmosphere in Renee's hotel room was anything but. After the emotionally charged argument with Lando earlier in the evening, sleep was impossible. Renee lay awake, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing. Beside her, Olivia was equally restless, the silence between them filled with unspoken thoughts.
Renee turned to Olivia, breaking the silence. "Liv, I can't stop thinking about everything... about Lando, about Joe... about how messed up everything is."
Olivia rolled onto her side to face Renee, concern softening her features. "I know, Ren. It's been a lot. Want to talk about it?"
Renee hesitated, but then the words just started pouring out. "It's just... I thought I'd moved on from Joe, you know? We broke up months ago, and I told myself it was for the best. But there are days when I still feel so empty, like a part of me is missing. And then with Lando... it's like every time I start to find my footing, he comes back into my life and throws everything off balance again."
Olivia nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "Breakups are never easy, especially when you're still trying to figure out who you are without that person. And with Lando... it's even more complicated because he wasn't just some guy. He was your best friend."
"Was," Renee repeated, the word hanging heavily in the air. "But what kind of friend just cuts you out like that? I don't understand why he did it, Liv. And I hate that I still care so much about it."
"You care because he meant something to you," Olivia said softly. "And that's okay. But you can't let him have this power over you forever. You deserve better than that."
Renee sighed, wiping away a tear that had escaped. "I know I do. But it's hard to just let go, especially when there's so much unresolved between us. And Joe... I thought breaking up with him was the right thing, but now... I'm just not sure anymore."
Olivia's voice was gentle as she responded. "Joe was your first real love, Renee. It's normal to feel conflicted, to question if you made the right choice. But from what you've told me, it sounds like you needed to do what was best for you. And with Lando... I think part of you is still trying to process everything that happened. You never got closure."
