Falling

Azalea Ariadne had learned the hard way that love wasn't a sanctuary-it was a weapon. After losing her father, she watched her mother slip into a haze of drugs and alcohol, leaving her alone in a world that had nothing to offer. Then there was him-her first love, who made her believe that maybe, just maybe, she could be loved. But he didn't love her. He loved the way she was broken, the way she needed fixing. And when she started to heal, he became a monster-building her up just to tear her down again.

There was no escape. No one to turn to. He was the only one who could make her smile, but he was also the one who made her cry. And when she finally broke free, she ran far away, to a place where no one knew her, where no one could see the cracks in her heart. She became the mysterious stranger-silent, guarded, and unwilling to let anyone close enough to hurt her again.

But no matter how far she ran, the shadows in the room and the dark figures in her nightmares followed her. Every night, she woke to the haunting feeling that he would come back for her, to break her once again. The fear of his return was a constant weight on her chest, a reminder that the darkness she had fled from might one day swallow her whole.

Then her new boss appeared, relentless and determined to break through the walls she had spent so long building. He was kind, patient, and a light she wasn't sure she was ready for. As she began to heal, as she started to trust again, she realized there was a chance for her to finally leave the past behind. But just as she began to embrace the possibility of love and happiness, he reappeared-the one who had shattered her heart-and he was ready to break her once again.