Despite everything, Elara's head still struck the doorframe, instantly turning red with a hint of blood seeping out.
Ansel scrambled to his feet, cradling her as he rushed towards the elevator.
"Elara, does it hurt? I'm taking you to see a doctor right now!"
The doorway finally fell silent.
My heart sank to the depths.
After ten years of knowing each other and ten years of love, a decade of blood promise, we had reached this point of estrangement. The compound settled around me, indifferent. The hallway light hummed. I stood alone in the doorway of a home built with my father's treasury, wearing the silence like a shroud.
I took out my phone and booked a flight for the day of the Blood-Bound Union.
With seven days left, it was just enough time to clear away everything from the past.
Ansel was right; one must look forward.
From now on, I would sever all ties with the joys and sorrows of the past.
My breathing slowed. It became almost imperceptible, the way it always did when the decision was final. There would be no reversing this.
I threw away all the wedding supplies I had meticulously prepared.