Olivia

I never expected a quiet Sunday afternoon to turn into one of the hardest conversations of my life.

Lucian was already in my studio when I arrived home from the market, his fingers lightly tracing the edges of my newest canvas. His presence was familiar, almost a comfort, but today there was a tension in the air I couldn’t ignore.

He looked up and smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Hey,” he said, voice low, cautious.

“Hey,” I replied, setting down my bags.

He folded his arms. “We need to talk”

I swallowed hard. That wasn’t new. We’d danced around this before, the what-ifs, the promises, the fears....