Cecily stayed where she was long after Liam stopped speaking.
The room felt smaller. Like the walls had moved closer without her noticing. Putting her in an uncomfortable space.
She could still hear his question in her head.
"Are you still in love with him?"
She hadn't answered.
Not because she wanted to hurt Liam.
But because she didn't trust her voice not to betray her.
Liam watched her for a moment longer, then looked away.
"I won't force you," he said quietly.
"But I need to protect myself too. I'm also a human with feelings."
She flinched. His words hitting her hard.
"I never wanted this,"
She said. And that's the truth.
"I know," he replied. "That doesn't change what it's doing to us."
She nodded slowly.
"I just need time. To sort out all my feelings."
Liam let out a tired laugh.
"That's what people say when they're already halfway gone."
"That's not true," she said quickly.
"Then look at me," he said.
She did.
His eyes were tired. Hurt. Guarded.
"I'm here," she whispered.
"But not fully,and you know it." He said.
The truth in his words hurt more than anger would have.
He picked up his keys from the table.
"I'm going to take a drive," he said. "Clear my head a bit."
"Okay."
He paused at the door.
"Please don't shut me out," he added. Pleadingly.
Then he left.
The door shut softly behind him.
Too softly.
Cecily sank onto the couch. Feeling so tired mentally.
She pressed her palms against her face, breathing slowly.
"What am I doing?" she whispered.
Her phone laying beside her vibrated.
She didn't want to look at it.
She looked anyway.
A message from the one one person she didn't want to think about now.
Ethan.
"I didn't mean to add more stress in your life like that yesterday. I just… I just wanted to make sure everything is clear between us.
Her chest tightened.
She typed, then erased.
Typed again.
Then locked the phone and set it aside.
She needed silence,peace and clarity.
That night, sleep refused to come.
Cecily turned from side to side, the empty space beside her reminding her that something had shifted.
At some point, her mind drifted.
Back to years ago.
Back to a younger version of herself, waiting for a reply that never came.
She sat up suddenly.
Her heart was racing.
She checked the time.
2:17 a.m.
She got out of bed and went to the kitchen, poured herself water she didn't drink.
Her thoughts felt tangled.
Liam.
Ethan.
The life she chose.
The one she almost had.
Her phone buzzed again.
Another message.
Ethan:
"I found your old voicemail too. I didn't know you cried when you left."
Tears filled her eyes instantly.
That voicemail.
She had recorded it on the night she left the country. She remembered deleting it right after, thinking he'd never hear it.
How did he even...
She typed back before she could stop herself.
"Why are you telling me this now??."
His reply came almost immediately.
"Because you deserved to be heard back then. And you still do."
Her hands trembled.
This was dangerous.
She knew it.
But she didn't stop.
"You're too late." She typed.
*Maybe." He replied. "But late doesn't mean meaningless."
She closed her eyes.
This wasn't fair at all.
LThe next morning, Cecily woke up with a headache.
Liam hadn't come back.
His side of the bed was still empty and cold.
She sat up slowly, feeling heavier than she had in years.
She checked her phone.
A missed call.
From Liam.
She called back immediately.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," she replied. "Where are you?"
"At work," he said. "I didn't want to wake you."
"I didn't sleep much," she admitted.
"Me neither."
Silence followed.
"Do you want to talk later?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied. "I think we should."
Her stomach tightened.
"Okay."
They hung up.
Cecily spent the rest of the day distracted.
She reread emails without understanding them. She stared at her screen without typing.
Her coworkers noticed.
"You okay?" one of them asked.
"Yes," she replied automatically.
But even she knew that was far from the truth.
That evening, she met Liam at home.
He looked calmer. Controlled.
Which somehow scared her even more.
They sat across from each other at the table.
"I don't want to fight," Liam said.
"Neither do I," she replied.
"I just need honesty," he continued. "Even if it hurts. Just pls tell me the truth."
She nodded.
"I saw Ethan," she said quietly.
He already knew.
"I know."
"He reached out," she added.
Liam's jaw tightened slightly.
"Are you talking to him?"
She hesitated for a second.
"Yes," she admitted.
He looked down at the table.
"That hurts I won't lie to you." He said honestly.
"I know."
"Do you want to stop?" he asked.
She swallowed.
"I don't know if I can," she said.
That silence that followed was heavy and tensed.
"Then that's my answer I guess." Liam said softly.
Her heart dropped.
"Liam..."
"I love you," he said. "But I won't beg to be chosen."
Tears spilled over.
"I never meant to hurt you."
"I believe you," he said. "But intention doesn't erase damage."
He stood up.
"I need distance," he said. "Not forever. Just until you figure out what you want."
She nodded, crying openly now.
"I'm sorry."
"I know," he replied.
He walked away.
Again.
Later that night, Cecily sat on the floor of the bedroom.
Her back against the bed.
Her phone buzzed.
Ethan.
"Are you okay??"
She laughed bitterly.
"No." She typed.
There was a pause.
Then his next message made her pause.
"Do you want to video call. So you can talk about it??."
Her heart skipped.
"No." She replied quickly. "That wouldn't be right."
"I understand." He said.
She stared at the screen.
Feeling confused and heartbroken.
Outside, the city moved on.
Inside Cecily, everything felt paused, painful and emotionally tiring.
Between past and present.
Between love and guilt.
Between what was safe…
And what still hurt. And still hurting.