AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I get up, my movements mechanical as I start packing my bags. The walls of the apartment, once a sanctuary, now feel like they're closing in on me.
Evan stands, his expression one of concern. "Emily, let me help you."
I shake my head, my focus solely on the task at hand. "No, I’ve got it."
As I zip up my bag, the reality of what I'm leaving behind hits me.
William, the gallery, the life I had started to build here – it all seems like a distant dream now, one that's slipped like water between my fingers.
"Emily, please," Sasha pleads, her voice trembling. "Don't do this. We can fix this, somehow."
But her words fall on deaf ears. The trust is broken, the hurt too deep.
I sling my bag over my shoulder, taking one last look at the apartment – at Sasha and Evan, who look as lost and broken as I feel.
"I'm sorry," I whisper, more to myself than to them. "I just need to go home."
And with that, I walk out, leaving behind the chaos, the lies, and a love that was never meant to be.
As I step into the night, the cold air embraces me, a stark contrast to the warmth I once felt in this city. Snowdrop Valley,with its familiar streets and simpler life, calls to me – a balm for my wounded heart.
Evan follows me out, his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. "Emily, wait. I’m coming with you," he calls out, but I don't slow down.
The need to escape, to retreat to something familiar and safe, is overwhelming.
As we ride in silence to the train station, the lights of London blur past the window, each one a reminder of a dream that turned into a nightmare.
I lean my head against the cold glass, the tears I've been holding back finally escaping. They stream down my face, unrestrained, each one a silent testament to the pain and confusion swirling inside me.
Evan doesn't speak, but his presence is a quiet comfort. He's always been there, a steady, unassuming friend in the background.
But right now, his presence is everything – a lifeline in the storm that's upended my life.
When we arrive at the station, the emptiness of the night feels like a mirror of my heart.
The platform is deserted, the only sound our footsteps on the pavement.
"I can't believe I let this happen," I whisper, more to myself than to Evan. "I let myself get swept up in a fantasy, and now... now I'm paying the price."
Evan stops, turning to face me. "Emily, you can't blame yourself. You were doing the best to help Sasha, and you fell for the guy. No one blames you for that."
I look up at him, his earnest expression a stark contrast to the turmoil inside me. "But it was all built on lies, Evan. My lie, Sasha's lie... William's lie. How could anything real come from that?"
He reaches out, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Maybe it wasn't all a lie. Maybe there was something real, something worth holding onto."
I shake my head, unable to accept his words. "It's too late for that now. I've lost him, and I've lost myself in the process."
We board the train in silence, the rhythmic clacking of the wheels a steady backdrop to my racing thoughts.
As the city fades into the distance, I close my eyes, trying to find some peace in the darkness. But the image of William's cold look, of Madeline's triumphant smile, haunts me, a reminder of the love I thought I had and the reality that shattered it.
Snowdrop Valley, with its quiet streets and simple life, awaits me.
Maybe there, among the familiar, I can find a way to heal, to start over.
But as the train carries me away from London, from William, I know a part of me will always remain behind, lost in the glittering world that was never truly mine.
WILLIAM
