55


    Sienna’s POV


    My sobs slowly faded, though my body still trembled. I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand, still huping as I tried to breathe. The ache remained, but at least now I could breathe a little easier.


    Liliana led me to the sofa without many words. She wrapped a nket around me, then disappeared into the


    kitchen and returned with a warm ss of water. Her hand touched my shoulder gently as she offered it to me. I epted it, though my hands were still shaking. A sip of that warm water slid down my throat like a quiet hug,forting without needing any exnation.


    I sat with my knees pulled to my chest, wrapped in silence that somehow felt warmer than any words. Liliana sat beside me, not forcing me to speak. Just being there. Sometimes, that was exactly what I needed-someone


    who didn’t try to fix me, just stayed.


    The ticking of the wall clock was soft. Outside the window, the city remained awake under the glow of amber


    street lights. But in here, in this small apartment, time seemed to slow. It felt like this space was giving me


    permission to breathe, without rushing, without answering anything, without pretending to smile.


    I closed my eyes for a moment, and for the first time in weeks-or maybe months-I didn’t feel like I was


    falling alone. The pain was still there, the bitterness still lingering. But there was a flicker of relief, because I no


    longer had to carry it alone.


    Noah’s face appeared in my mind. His smile. His giggle while ying with wooden blocks. The way his eyes


    always searched for me. I missed him-every second. But the guilt kept holding me back, making me feel


    unworthy. I was too tired, too broken. And I was afraid he’d see his mother like this-like a shattered version of


    someone who used to be strong.


    But tonight, with Liliana, I no longer denied how broken I was. I didn’t force myself to stand tall. Maybe, to


    truly heal, I had to pass through this stage first. The stage of admitting I had fallen, that I needed time, and that it was okay to feel sad, disappointed, and empty.


    I nced at Liliana, still sitting quietly beside me. Her gaze was gentle. There was no judgment in her eyes. Only eptance. That was enough. Enough to make me want to keep going.


    At least for tonight, I had a ce toe home to-even if it wasn’t a house. Even if it wasn’t Liam. Even if it


    wasn’t Noah.


    11:18 AM Tue 2 Sep


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    ? 50%


    Sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, piercing my sore and swollen eyes. As I opened them, the sting was sharp. They felt dry, puffy, and tight from hours of crying I could no longer count.


    I blinked slowly. My body ached from sleeping in an awkward position on the couch. The nket Liliana had ced over mest night still covered my legs. I nced toward the wall clock-nearly eight in the morning.


    “Well, well. The half-zombie finally wakes up,” a familiar voice made me turn.


    Liliana stood not far from me, already dressed in a zer and skirt. Her hair was half-tied up, her face fresh and


    ready to face the world. Such a contrast to me-disheveled, messy, and not even having wiped away the dried


    tears still clinging to my face.


    “There’s porridge in the kitchen. Still warm, just eat it. Don’t tell me you’re not hungry-you cried all night.”


    I only nodded, my voice too weak to reply. But I think she knew I was grateful.


    Liliana nced at her watch, then picked up her bag. At the door, she turned around again, her face hesitant.


    “Sienna,” she said softly, “are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you today? I can ask for half a day off if


    you-”


    “I’m not a child,” I cut in quickly, my voice raspier than I expected.


    Her brows furrowed slightly, but she finally nodded. “Okay. But don’t forget to eat. And rest.”


    I took a deep breath, trying to offer a faint smile. “Go, or you’ll bete.”


    She nodded once more, opened the door, and left. The door shut quietly behind her, leaving a silence that filled


    every corner of the apartment.


    I sat in silence on the couch for a moment, staring at the door that had just closed. It felt strange. After a night full of sobs and emotional exhaustion, the morning came as if nothing had happened. But my body knew. My heart knew. Something was broken, and I had no idea how to fix it.


    Reluctantly, I got up and walked to the kitchen. I found a bowl of chicken porridge on the table, still letting off a thin wisp of steam. Liliana had kept her word. She might be tough, but she always knew how to take care of the people she loved-including me, in her own quiet, no-nonsense way.


    I sat at the dining table, stared at the porridge for a while, then stirred it slowly. I wasn’t hungry, but I knew I had to eat. Liliana was right. I needed to take care of myself. Because if I didn’t care about myself, who would?


    11:18 AM Tue 2 Sep


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    I took small spoonfuls of the porridge, a faint warmth blooming in my stomach. But that wasn’t what I needed right now. What I wanted-what I truly longed for-was peace. And somehow, that felt like the hardest thing to


    find.


    The spoon was halfway to my mouth when a notification sound broke the morning silence. I frowned, surprised


    -who would be contacting me this early? Liliana was surely already busy at work.


    I set the bowl aside and reached for my phone on the kitchen table. A message from Liam.


    [Are you still at Liliana’s apartment?]


    It was short, but it sent a jolt of difort through my chest. Before I could think too much, another message


    followed.


    [Can we meet? I’m in the lobby of Liliana’s apartment.]


    I froze in ce. My breath caught. Between confusion, anxiety, and the lingering anger fromst night, I didn’t


    know how to respond. Liam? Here? After everything?


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My mind was torn. Part of me wanted to stay-safe, sheltered, letting


    my heart recover from yesterday. But another part of me knew this had to be faced. If not now, then when?


    With trembling fingers, I typed a reply.


    [I’ll meet you. But not in the lobby. There’s a small café across the street. Let’s talk there.]


    I stared at my phone for a long while after sending the message. Still unsure if this was the right decision. But I


    knew I couldn’t keep hiding. This wasn’t just about me anymore. It was about Noah. About everything I had buried deep until it explodedst night.


    I stood up from my chair and set the spoon down-still unused after that one bite. My steps felt heavy as I


    walked to the bedroom to change. ncing at my reflection in the mirror, I whispered softly, “You can do this,


    Sienna. It’s just a conversation. Just a talk.”


    But deep inside, I knew… It would be anything but just a talk.


    11:18 AM Tue 2 Sep