They spent that evening walking, talking, and laughing like time had folded in on itself. At a bar, he toasted “second chances,” and for a moment, everything felt renewed. But the next morning, he vanished again.
Refusing to relive the past, she went to his house. The door was unlocked, his car outside. Inside, she found a photo of them from years ago, her face circled in red, and an open suitcase upstairs.
When Thomas returned, he revealed the truth. His powerful family had opposed their relationship. His brother had followed her, documenting her life, and their father threatened harm if Thomas stayed with her. He believed leaving would protect her.
