As Annie stepped outside the room, the cool air hit her like a slap in the face, snapping her back to reality. But it was too late; the emotions she had been trying to keep at bay came flooding out. She rested her face against the cold wall, the rough texture a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside her. The wall seemed to reverberate with her sobs, as if it, too, felt the weight of her sorrow.

Tears began to flow, streaming down her face like a river. They poured out of her eyes like a dam had burst, carrying with them all the pain and regret she had...