And there it was again—that familiar, icy numbness spreading through me. I had been missing for days, buried beneath the earth, but Adrian’s only concern was for Madilyn, the daughter they had raised in my place.
I let out a bitter laugh as I watched Tristan shut off his phone without a word. Even now, he stayed by my side. Even when everyone else had moved on.
After three days of relentless efforts, Tristan finally found my body, but the sight was unbearable. My nose and mouth were clogged with soil, and the first signs of decay had already set in. Overcome with grief, Tristan collapsed beside my corpse, his hands trembling as he tenderly cleared away the dirt. His movements were slow, as though he feared even the gentlest touch might cause me to vanish completely.
I heard Tristan’s choked voice calling my name, his sorrow palpable. “Aliyah… Why did you try to please them? They owe you, not the other way around!”
"I wished I stopped you from going..." he sobbed.