[EVE]

    The worst part had been the silence. The space he had put between us felt like a chasm I couldn''t cross. I had reached out, but he wasn''t there. I had called, and his voice had been distant, distracted.

    It was as if he was somewhere else entirely, and I was left standing alone, wondering if I had ever truly been there with him in the first place.

    And now, I''m stuck in this cycle of anger and heartbreak. One moment, I''m furious at him for pulling away, for making me believe in something only to let it crumble. The next, I''m furious at myself for letting him in, for thinking that this time would be different.

    I didn''t ask for this. I didn''t ask for him to come back into my life, to make me feel things I had buried so deeply. I didn''t ask for the love, the hope, the dreams of a future. And yet, he gave them to me, only to take them away.

    If I had known—if I had truly known—what this would lead to, I would''ve stopped him at the door. I would''ve turned away, locked my heart, and never looked back. But I didn''t know. And now, I''m left to pick up the pieces of a heart I thought I had fortified.

    And the cruelest part of all? Despite everything, I still love him. Despite the pain, the distance, the maddening uncertainty, I still find myself hoping that everything was alright between us. That he''ll close the gap, take my hand, and make me believe in us again.

    But hope is a dangerous thing, and I don''t know how much more of it I can bear.

    As much as I appreciated Sinclair, Sebastian, and Victor, their presence was a double-edged sword. Being around them was a reminder of how full my life could be, yet their energy only highlighted the void that Cole''s absence left behind.

    Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire

    Assignments, projects, exams—everything demanded my attention, leaving me breathless. Days blurred into nights, and by the time I could pause long enough to gather my thoughts, the stars would already be out, twinkling against the backdrop of Cole''s absence.

    We texted occasionally, called sometimes, but it was never the same. The conversations were short, clipped. He was always "busy," always "out of town for work." His words were vague, and I couldn''t piece together what he was really doing.

    But I told myself not to worry. He was managing an empire, after all. Of course, he was busy. The months he had spent chasing after me, convincing me to let him back into my life, must have set him behind on his responsibilities.

    Now, he was probably working overtime to catch up. It made sense. It had to make sense.

    Instead of obsessing over his absence, I threw myself into my studies and work. Graduation was just a few months away, a finish line I was determined to cross with pride.

    If I could focus on that, if I could keep my mind occupied, maybe I wouldn''t notice the silence as much. Maybe the ache in my chest would dull.

    But life, as it often does, had other plans.

    It was a Saturday morning, and I had planned to do absolutely nothing but sleep in and recharge in my apartment. The thought of burying myself under my blankets for hours was the only thing that had kept me going all week.

    But instead of the peaceful, lazy morning I had envisioned, I found myself staring at the unexpected sight of strangers standing at the lobby of my apartment looking for me.

    An older couple stood in front of me, their presence almost regal despite their modest attire. The man had graying hair and sharp, observant eyes that seemed to miss nothing.

    The woman, on the other hand, exuded a gentle warmth, her kind smile almost disarming. Standing slightly behind them were a boy and a girl around my age, their expressions a mix of curiosity and hesitance.