After the Fall

Chapter 16: A Silent Goodbye

Ling's thoughts had been heavy for days, weighed down by regret, guilt, and the ache of her growing love for Orm. Her conversations with Ying and Mew helped her realize that she had fallen hard for Orm long before she ever planned to. She'd messed everything up—hurt the one person who mattered most to her—and no matter what she did, Orm had made it clear that time and distance were what she needed.

As the days passed, Ling found it harder and harder to face the reality of the situation. Orm needed space, but the more Ling stayed around, the more painful it became for her, knowing she was the cause of Orm's heartbreak. She had hurt Orm too deeply, and nothing she said or did could fix that.

One evening, sitting alone in her apartment, Ling made the hardest decision she had ever made in her life. She couldn't keep waiting and hoping, couldn't keep suffocating Orm with her presence. If she truly loved Orm, she had to let her go, even if it tore her apart. It was time for her to leave. Quietly. Without a word to anyone, not even her closest friends.

Ling sat at her desk, pen in hand, and began writing the only thing she could give Orm—a letter. A farewell.

Orm,

I don't know if this letter is the right thing to do, but I need to say all the things I couldn't say to your face. You deserve to know the truth. Not just about the bet, but about my feelings and the regrets I carry.

I'm sorry, Orm. I know those words aren't enough to fix what I've broken, but I need you to know that I never meant to hurt you. The bet was never supposed to mean anything—it was stupid, careless, and reckless. I let my pride and my fear of vulnerability blind me. And in the end, I hurt the person I care about the most.

You weren't easy, Orm. I said things to my friends, things I didn't mean, because I was too much of a coward to admit what I felt for you. The truth is, I fell for you long before we ever slept together. I didn't want to admit it, not to myself, and certainly not to anyone else. But I loved you, even when I didn't know how to say it. I still do.

But I know it's too late. I know I've lost your trust, and no matter how hard I try, I don't think I can ever earn it back. You deserve better than someone who broke your heart. You deserve someone who doesn't make you question your worth, someone who will treat you the way you deserve to be treated. And that's why I'm leaving.

I won't bother you anymore, Orm. I won't show up at your door or call you, hoping for another chance. I'm letting you go, not because I don't care, but because I care too much to keep hurting you.

By the time you read this, I'll be gone. I need to find a way to make peace with what I've done, and I need to give you the space to heal.

I'll never stop loving you, but I know now that love isn't enough if it's built on lies. I'm sorry I couldn't be the person you needed. I'm sorry for every tear I made you cry, every doubt I planted in your heart. You deserve happiness, Orm, and I hope one day, you'll find it.

Please take care of yourself. I'll always cherish the moments we shared, even if they ended in heartbreak.

Goodbye, Orm.

With all my love,
Ling

Ling placed the letter in an envelope and sealed it. She stared at it for a long moment, knowing it was the final piece of her heart she was leaving behind. She didn't tell Ying, Mew, or anyone else about her decision. She wasn't even sure if she'd have the courage to follow through with it until she placed the letter on Orm's doorstep that night.

And then, without a word to anyone, she disappeared from Orm's life.