He returned just as she had finally begun to let go of hope.
Four months of silence stretched between them—a chasm filled with blocked numbers, unanswered calls, and messages that never reached their destination.
She recalled the countless times she had dialed his number, her hands shaking and her chest tight from coughing. She was genuinely unwell, and he was the only person she felt she could turn to in that moment. Her parents were far away, and she didn't want to burden them with her worries. She had even entrusted him with her school fees, believing in their bond, in the fact that he was her rock.
But then, he disappeared.
And today, he stood before her, speaking as if nothing had ever happened.
He inquired about her studies, her exams, her living situation—putting on an act of concern.
Pretending his return was because he missed her.
Yet, his eyes revealed a different truth.
He hadn't come back seeking forgiveness.
He hadn't returned because he finally recognized her value.
He was back for what he wanted—access, benefits, the comfort she had once provided.
She gazed at him, caught in a whirlwind of anger and the haunting pull of longing.
Memories flooded her mind—pleading with him for just enough support to get to the hospital, only to watch him live his life online, as if she were invisible.
"Why are you here?" she finally asked, her voice steady yet soft.
He smiled, leaning in closer. "I've missed you."
A fabrication.
A rehearsed deception.
A lie he assumed she would accept, simply because she had once loved him so deeply.
Within her chest, something shifted—not from pain this time, but from a profound awakening.
She was no longer the girl who cried into her pillow, pleading for a call.
She was no longer the girl who skipped meals to maintain her pride.
She took a deep breath.
This time…
She would stand strong.