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    Liam’s POV


    It’s been a week since Sienna left, but to me, time hasn’t moved. The days feel empty. The house remains the same, yet hollow. Too quiet. Too still.


    I haven’t touched the coffee sitting on the table since this morning. It’s grown cold. I sit in the living room without turning on the lights, even though the sky outside has been overcast since noon.


    Sienna always turned the lights on first. Even when it wasn’tpletely dark yet, she used to say the house needed light so it wouldn’t feel lonely. I used tough at that. Now I understand what she meant.


    I rubbed my face. I was a fool-always postponing, always hoping she would understand without having to be told. But now I realize, some things can’t survive on silent love alone. Some wounds can’t heal if you keep pretending they’re not there.


    I sat on the bed, staring at the phone screen disying one name: Sienna. Her number is still saved, clearly visible. Just one tap to call. One swipe of a thumb to send a message.


    But my fingers feel powerless. Every time I’m about to hit the green button, a voice in my head stops me. She doesn’t want to be disturbed anymore, Liam. She’s the one who left. She needs space… not you.


    I gripped the phone tightly, as if I could pour all the unsaid feelings into that lifeless object. My mind drifted back to thatst night before she left-the night she stood at the bedroom door with a small suitcase, her eyes


    wet but her face firm.


    “I’m not leaving because I don’t love you,” she had whispered.


    I just looked at her. I didn’t say anything. Not because I didn’t want to stop her, but because I was too sure she woulde back. That she just needed a little time to cool off.


    But she didn’t.


    The phone screen was still lit, her name glowing softly. I could call her now. I could say I miss her. That I was wrong. That this house doesn’t feel the same without the sound of her footsteps in the morning, without the scent of her perfume lingering on the pillows.


    But then what? Would it bring her back? Or would it only push her further away?


    I ced the phone down beside me and ran both hands over my face. The night was too quiet. So much space


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    now filled only by echoes of herughter, her endless chatter about books, story ideas, or the little things that made our days feel whole.


    I got up slowly and opened the closet, pulling out the gray sweater she had left behind. Her scent had almost faded, but I could still imagine the way she would hug me from behind, pressing her face into my back.


    “Sometimes you drive me crazy, Liam. But I still fall in love with you.”


    Her voice echoed in my mind-clear, real, painful.


    I hugged the sweater to my chest, clinging to the warmth of memories. I knew she needed time. I knew I


    couldn’t force her. But I also knew… I was lost without her.


    I let out a heavy sigh and set the phone on the table. Stared up at the ceiling, as if it might offer answers. Just


    like I’ve done every night since she left.


    Then suddenly, the sound of crying came from outside the room. Not just any cry-I recognized it instantly.


    Noah.


    I got up and opened the door quickly. The cries wereing from the living room.


    “Noah?” I called out, voice tight with worry.


    There I saw Emily standing stiffly, trying tofort Noah, who sat on the floor clutching a red robot toy in his


    “Noah, listen… Auntie Emily didn’t mean to, sweetheart,” Emily said gently, her voice a little frantic. “I already


    said sorry, okay? Besides, the blue robot I gave you is still fine, right? They’re the same.”


    “No!” Noah shouted, tears pouring down his cheeks. “I don’t want the robot from Auntie Emily! I want the red one! That’s from Mommy!”


    I rushed over and lifted Noah into my arms, holding him tightly. “Noah, hey, hey-Daddy’s here, okay? Tell me what happened.”


    Noah clung to me, his little body trembling in my embrace. “Auntie Emily broke my robot… the one Mommy gave me. Why did it break, Daddy? Mommy will be mad if she finds out.”


    Emily stepped forward, trying to exin. “I didn’t mean to, Liam. It fell off the table when I was cleaning-‘


    I raised a hand, asking her to give us a moment. Then I carried Noah to the couch and sat down with him, trying


    to calm him.


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    “Daddy can fix the robot, okay?” I whispered, gently stroking his sweat-damp hair. “I promise I’ll try tonight,


    alright?”


    But Noah just shook his head weakly. “It can’t. It’s broken. Mommy will be sad… and now it’s ruined.”


    And there it was again—that ache.


    He’s been saying her name more oftentely. He looks for her. He misses her. Just like I do.


    I held him tighter, trying to lend him a strength I wasn’t sure I had left. His small body trembled against mine, and though his sobs slowly faded, they left a mark on both of us that would take far longer to disappear.


    Since Sienna left, it’s like a light went out in Noah’s world. He’s quieter, lost in thought while ying, waking


    up in the middle of the night. Every corner of this house holds a piece of her-from the way sheughed while


    cooking with Noah in the kitchen, to the softness in her voice reading bedtime stories.


    Now, all of it is nothing more than shadows I can’t seem to hold on to.


    GET IT N…


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