Chapter 5 FIVE

They sat on the living room floor, side by side, the silence between them no longer cold just careful.

Levi sipped the coffee she made, though it had gone lukewarm. Amara hadn't touched hers. Her fingers traced circles on the rim of the mug.

Do you ever wonder, she said quietly, how someone can promise forever and then just... forget?

Levi didn't answer right away. Not forget. Just... choose to stop remembering.

She looked at him. Is that what happened with us too?

That question had been living inside her for years.

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his jaw. I never forgot, Amara. You chose Daniel. I stepped back because you looked happy. I thought... I was doing the right thing.

She closed her eyes. And now he's gone, and I don't even know who I am without him. Or maybe I never did.

Levi placed his mug down. Maybe this is your chance to figure that out.

There was a long pause.

Then he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out something folded. A note.

I wasn't sure if I should give you this, he said. "But I think you need to see it.

She took it, hands trembling. The handwriting was unmistakable.

Daniel's.

She opened it slowly, heart in her throat.

Amara,

If you're reading this, I didn't have the courage to say goodbye properly. I wasn't the man you needed-I never was.

But he was. And I think deep down, you always knew that.

The room spun.

Her world cracked again.

But this time, something else started pushing through the cracks- Light.