Maya sat in the dim light of her apartment, the weight of her choices pressing down on her chest. The air felt thick, as if the walls themselves were closing in on her. She could hear her breath, shallow and uneven, as she tried to gather her thoughts.

It was only a few days ago when she had almost convinced herself to end it, to walk away from Daniel and focus solely on her engagement to Zander. But every time she tried to distance herself, her heart pulled her back to him.

She had spent years living according to the expectations of her family. Her life had been planned out...