𝑈𝑔ℎℎ. 𝑀𝑦 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑 ℎ𝑢𝑟𝑡𝑠. I got out of bed, feeling the heavy weight of material around my body. 𝐼𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎 𝑤𝑒𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠? I thought to myself as I looked through the mirror. I rubbed my face only for my eyes to stumble on...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I could not help but feel the tension ension as I walked into the HR office, my heels clicking softly against the polished floor. I could feel the weight of my decision pressing down on me, but I knew it was the right choice. Nico was waiting for me, his expression unreadable, standing just behind the HR representative, as if he had been expecting me all along.
“Sophia,” he said, his voice calm but laced with something I couldn’t quite place.
I nodded, glancing between him and the HR rep, who had begun to introduce the formalities of the meeting, outlining what my departure would entail and the timelines involved. But Nico’s intense gaze never left mine, silently challenging me, and I could feel my resolve begin to waver under the weight of it.
“Sophia, would you mind if we had a moment alone?” Nico interrupted, turning to the HR rep with a polite but firm smile. The HR rep looked hesitant, but after a moment, nodded and quietly excused herself, leaving us in the spacious, glass-walled office.
Nico shut the door and turned to face me, his gaze softer than I’d seen it in a long time. “Sophia, what are you doing? You’re just going to walk away from everything we’ve built here?”
I took a steadying breath, feeling the familiar pang in my chest at the sight of him standing so close. “Nico, I need time. I need space to think, to understand what I really want. Being here… being around you, it clouds my judgment.”
He stepped closer, his expression a mixture of hurt and determination. “I don’t want to be the reason you feel lost or unsure. But I don’t want to lose you either, Sophia. Can’t we figure this out together? Let me help.”
I shook my head, looking down to avoid the vulnerability in his eyes. “I’m not asking you to solve anything, Nico. This is something I need to do alone. I have to know that my choices are really mine, not just hopeless wishes that you are going to come around.”
He reached out, his fingers brushing against my hand. The warmth of his touch sent a familiar jolt through me, and I fought the urge to lean into him, to let myself be swept up in the safety and comfort he offered. “Sophia,” he whispered, his voice laced with something close to desperation, “you don’t have to do this. Please, just… stay. Give us one more chance.”
I felt my throat tighten, my heart screaming at me to stay, to give in to the unspoken promise in his words. But my mind knew better. “I need this, Nico. I’m sorry, but I can’t just… I can’t ignore what I feel. I admit I thought this would be better for our future but now, it would be better for my future.”
A brief flash of hurt crossed his face, but he quickly composed himself, taking a step back. “If that’s what you need, then I won’t stand in your way.” His voice was steady, but his eyes betrayed the depth of his disappointment. “But don’t forget,” he added softly, “I’ll be here, waiting for you.”
