The evening stars

She is more important than anything

Meanwhile, Alex sat at his desk, looking out the window at New York. His thoughts kept returning to Sophie. He tried to focus on his tasks — in front of him on the screen was a correspondence with his lawyer, and printed documents related to court cases lay beside him. But his attention was somewhere far away. There, where she was.

Just a few days ago, he was confident that they would be able to overcome all the difficulties. But now everything was different. Sophie took a break in their relationship, and Alex didn't know how to proceed. He understood that her decision was the right one, especially considering what was happening in his life — endless legal battles with Rachel over custody of Sam, constant pressure from family and business, fatigue, and disappointment. But even knowing this, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was losing her.

He hasn't called Sophie for several days. She said she needed space, and he gave her that space, even though every minute without her was a struggle. He wanted to hear her voice, to know how she was doing, to hear that she still thought about him. But he was afraid that if he called, it would only make the situation worse.

Alex sighed heavily, burying his head in his hands. His heart ached at the realization that he could lose Sophie. She became something more to him than just a friend or a fleeting infatuation. She was the light that appeared in his life during the darkest time. And he was afraid that if she left, this darkness would return again.

He understood that he could not offer her stability, peace, or the love she deserved right now. His life was chaos, and dragging her into it was unfair. But that did not diminish his desire to be with her. He wanted everything to be different. So that there wouldn't be all these problems, and they could just be happy.

Alex got up from the chair and walked over to the window. He gazed at the city for a long time, feeling a weight on his soul. He was pondering what would come next. What if Sophie decides that her place is not next to him? What if she leaves forever? This thought cut him like a knife.

"Maybe I should write to her?" — the thought flashed through my mind. But he immediately brushed her off, deciding that if Sophie wanted to, she would let him know herself. He should have respected her decision. But it didn't get any easier.

Alex took out his phone and opened the chat with Sophie. The last message from her was short and neutral, without any emotions. He sighed, feeling the anxiety building up inside him. Sophie has never been indifferent. She always expressed her feelings openly. And this coldness only confirmed that something had gone wrong.

— Dammit, — he whispered to himself, feeling everything in his chest tighten.

He decided that he wouldn't write to her. He will return to her.

He suddenly realized that in this struggle he had missed the most important thing — his own happiness. Sam was his daughter, but her heart was wounded, and each new twist in the legal battles only deepened that wound. Alex realized that his love for her should not turn into a war with Rachel. And this endless struggle was no longer worth continuing to destroy my life.

He sighed heavily, as New York stretched out beyond the window — a city of opportunities and energy, but for him, it had become nothing more than a place of pain and disappointment. Alex picked up the phone, slowly scrolled through the contacts, and stopped at the name of his lawyer.

— Yes, John, it's Alex, — he said quietly, looking at the city lights. — I want to put an end to the legal proceedings. Let's agree on a compromise with Rachel. I no longer want to continue this war.

He wasn't expecting any follow-up questions or clarifications. Alex has long made up his mind. He understood that he was losing his daughter emotionally and that he might not be able to restore their relationship, no matter how hard he tried. But he couldn't afford to keep destroying his life and Sophie's life. She deserved better.

After a short conversation, he hung up the phone and felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The decision was made, and he knew it was the right one. Now there was only one thing left — to return to Chicago.

Alex packed his things; his life felt empty without Sophie. Her smile, her voice, her gentle gaze — all of this was more important than all this struggle.

In a few hours, he was already sitting on the plane heading to Chicago. His heart raced as he thought about seeing her again soon. He hoped that it wasn't too late. He hoped that she would understand his decision and open the door to her life for him again.

The plane landed softly, and Alex, stepping out of the airport, took a deep breath of Chicago's fresh air. In this city was his Sophie — the girl who restored his hope and faith in a better future.

Now all that was left was to see her.