Old Days Break Free [ON HOLD]

31

The Affection is unbearable - Pt 3

Lorraine's POV

I have never felt so restless like this.

I couldn’t sleep well last night because of what I did to Athena.

The guilt weighed so heavily on my conscience that I couldn't find peace.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face—hurt, disappointed, yet silently enduring.

It haunted me so much that I even dreamed of her, sitting beside me, tears streaming down her face as she cried softly, her sobs echoing in the quiet.

I had hurt her more than I realized, and the weight of it made my chest ache.

"Are we good, Lorraine?" Dr. Brent’s calm voice pulled me back to the present, his concerned eyes searching mine.

I forced a nod, trying to push aside the thoughts of Athena and focus on the session, though my heart wasn’t in it.

Even now, despite the progress I’d made, the hallucinations still crept up on me occasionally—dark, fleeting shadows in the corners of my vision, reminders of the turmoil still lurking beneath the surface.

"You're getting better, Lorraine. I congratulate you," Dr. Brent said, his smile gentle and encouraging, a warmth that should have made me feel at ease.

But I could only manage a weak smile in return, my thoughts too entangled in the guilt and fear gnawing at me.

The session continued, his words washing over me as I went through the motions, nodding when appropriate, responding when needed, all while my mind remained trapped in the past night’s events.

By the time the session ended, I still didn’t feel ready to go home.

The idea of facing Athena, of seeing her after the cold way I had left her this morning, twisted my stomach.

She had been asleep when I left—thankfully.

I had slipped out without a word, unable to confront her just yet.

Most mornings, I’d wake up to find her already bustling around, tidying up the house.

It always amazed me how she found so many things to clean in such a small space.

Honestly, my house is just a few finite rooms, yet Athena seemed to have an endless list of tasks to keep herself busy.

I had started to wonder if I should just hire a maid to take the burden off her, to stop her from pushing herself too hard.

But then again, would she even allow it?

Athena was the kind of person who found solace in work, a distraction from her own thoughts.

And now, after everything, I wasn’t sure if she was doing it to keep busy—or to avoid me.

As I drove, my thoughts lingered on her, replaying every moment of our argument in my head, the sharp words I had thrown at her.

My hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, frustration and regret swirling together.

I didn’t want things to be this way.

I needed to fix it.

But how?

Suddenly, the shrill sound of my phone jolted me back to reality.

I blinked, realizing I had been so lost in thought I hadn’t even noticed it ringing.

Quickly, I glanced at the screen and answered.