“If he truly cared, he wouldn’t have needed eight years to decide. I spent my youth waiting while he kept me in limbo. Whatever we had—it wasn’t love. Just comfort. And I refuse to waste another year hoping he’ll suddenly choose me.”
She sighed, clearly struggling to reconcile our long history with my decision. Still, she didn’t argue. She promised to support me, no matter what.
That night, before going to sleep, I set a countdown timer on my phone.
Three days until I walked away from the life I’d been holding onto.
The following morning, I asked my mother to prepare a few farewell gifts for Aunt Lyra, as a thank-you for all the years she’d taken care of me.
That evening, while waiting for the delivery truck, I found Leonardo standing outside the building, watching me give instructions to the driver.
“What’s all this?” he asked, his gaze sharp.
“Just a few gifts,” I replied calmly. “They’re for my aunt.”
“Gifts?” His tone dropped. “Why?”
“Because I’m leaving soon.”
His eyes flickered with something unreadable, but he didn’t ask where or why. Perhaps he assumed I was bluffing.