Embracing Énouement

"The ghosts of all the women you used to be are all so proud of who you have become." - Nikita Gill.

Do you ever wonder about the bitter-sweet feeling of looking back at your old self and not being able to tell them that you have surpassed all the things you thought you couldn't? It's like looking at the pond and your reflection on the water was the 18-year-old you, a carefree soul that you wish you could hug, smiling at you like she's so eager to meet you.

This is énouement.

As free as she could be, Zahra Venice Montano did all things to enjoy her teenage phase. The 18-year-old loved drinking, having parties, and even exploring her world through dancing and traveling. She is the epitome of freedom. Nothing could stop her from being as free as the birds in the sky. But she would come to realize that freedom comes with a price. As if everything she enjoyed seemed to backfire on her.

She got into a big scandal, where her reputation and image were deeply destroyed. No one stood by her side, and all people placed their judgement on her - as if she would no longer be accepted as a human. But despite all the cruelty and harsh treatment she received from the world, her childhood crush, Yuan Van Fajardo embraced her past, accepted her flaws, and cradled all her fragile and broken soul.

Yet the world said it's not enough, she needed to be destroyed even more.

Her past came back like a flash of nostalgia, only that it came back as true. When everything is finally at peace, a rumor will circulate that will crush all the pieces she built again. This time, however, she realized that even Yuan can judge her, misunderstand her, and most of all...break her.

Pieces by pieces.

Until she could no longer embrace the shattered remnants of her past self.

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Enkrateia Series #2

[Contains spoilers from Return to Me and Among the Stars]
Date Started: 10/04/2024