LONELY HEARTS
Esmé's life takes a dramatic turn when she becomes entwined with Eiser, a son from a powerful family. Haunted by loss and trapped in a loveless marriage, she battles to connect with a man who conceals his emotions behind a wall of sile...
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SUMMER'S CHILL
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” — Mahatma Gandhi
Esmé sat alone at the long dining table, the silence of the room pressing in around her.
Eiser's absence felt as usual tonight. She had gotten used to eating alone, but it still stung each time.
She carefully placed her utensils down after finishing her meal, the sound of them clinking against the porcelain plate echoing softly in the empty room.
The mansion felt emptier without him, and as she rose from her seat, she couldn't help but feel the coldness in the air that seemed to follow her everywhere.
She wrapped herself tighter in her pink shawl as she made her way toward the garden, the thick fabric offering little protection against the crisp night air.
Despite it being summer, the chill of the evening sank into her skin, causing a soft shiver to travel down her spine.
The garden was quiet, the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves adding a melancholic note to the stillness.
Esmé settled onto the nearby bench, her legs tucked beneath her as she gazed up at the night sky. The stars twinkled above, cold and distant, much like everything in her life lately.
Her face flushed from the cold, the red of her cheeks difference against the pale skin of her neck.
She sighed softly, her thoughts overwhelming her as she stared into the vastness of the sky, wishing for something, anything, to ease the loneliness that settled in her heart like a heavy stone.
Eiser wasn't there, and it felt like she was always waiting for something from him.
Something that would never come.
Suddenly, the sound of the car's engine grew louder as Eiser's black car pulled slowly into the long, gravel driveway, its headlights cutting through the darkness.
Esmé remained seated on the bench, her posture still and her eyes fixed on the distant car, the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze the only sound around her.
She didn't stand up, didn't move, despite the anticipation she felt creeping into her chest.
The headlights of the car illuminated the garden briefly, casting a sharp contrast of light and shadow, but the bushes that lined the path between her and the car kept her hidden from his view.
Her heart fluttered slightly as the car came to a stop, the low rumble of the engine dying down.
She could feel his presence, even from a distance, the invisible tension that came with it.
He had returned, but she didn't know what to expect. His silence always made her question things that could never be put into words.
Esmé didn't make any move to greet him, sitting perfectly still, as if she were trying to disappear into the night itself.
