“Haruki… I want you to answer honestly. This time, I want to hear everything from you.”

Evelyn’s voice was firm, but her eyes betrayed her uncertainty. She stood in the middle of Haruki’s tidy apartment, the soft glow of Tokyo’s sunset streaming through the large windows behind her. Silence settled thickly between them, broken only by the ticking clock and the quiet hum of air through the vents.

Haruki looked at her. His face was calm, but the usual warmth was absent. He had known this question would come sooner or later. He knew William wouldn’t stay silent. And now, with Evelyn standing before him—not as a lover, but as...