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    Sienna’s POV


    I open my eyes. No. This isn’t the time to drown in the past. I came here to rebuild my life, not to get tangled in an old story that may never be fixed.


    But I also can’t lie to myself.


    There’s something different about him. Whether it’s only my imagination or a real change in him—I don’t


    know.


    What I do know is that my body still trembles whenever hear his name.


    I don’t want to give him false hope. But I also can’t tell him to stop–not because I like it, but because I don’t even know what I feel.


    The truth isn’t always yes or no. Sometimes the truth lives in the pause, in the hesitation, in the silence.


    That’s where I am now.


    I let out a long breath. If Liam truly wants to mend things, he’ll have to be patient. Because this time I won’t -throw myself into the fire just because he ims the mes have gone out.


    I need to be sure first–that this wound is worth healing That the one standing with him is a whole version of me, not the half–dead remnant of false hope.


    The sky is fading, the sun melting into the horizon. The wind picks up, carrying the salt of the sea and a chill that bites into my skin. But I don’t want to go inside.


    I just want to sit here, alone. With my thoughts. With a Heart still learning to make peace with the past, not yet ready to wee the future.


    One thing is certain, whatever happens next, I want it to be my choice. Without pressure. Without force. Without shadows looming toorge.


    Just me and my decision.


    If Liam is still out there, waiting, then let him wait. Until I’m ready–not to return, but to choose with clear


    eyes.


    With wounds stitched shut, and a love no longer blind.


    The sound of the wind and crashing waves, usually mypanions in the evening, is suddenly broken by noise outside the apartment. Hurried footsteps mixed with the tter of something falling. I frown, listening carefully. Not Liam–I know his stride by heart, and this isn’t it. Lighter. More chaotic.


    I finally stand and walk slowly to the balcony. From there, I see a middle–aged man–maybe the owner of the small shop down the street–struggling with boxes illed with bottles. Some have spilled, ss rolling across the concrete,


    “Oh no.” I murmur without thinking.


    He looks up, sweat on his face despite the cool evening dr. “Ah, sorry. So noisy, wasn’t it?”


    <b>I </b>offer a faint smile. “It’s fine. Do you want me to help?”


    He hesitates, then gives a sheepish smile. “If it’s not too much trouble.”


    I step outside, down a few stairs toward the courtyard. The sea breeze rushes over me, sharp and cold, but my steps are steady. I crouch, picking up bottles that narrowly avoided breaking.


    “You shouldn’t be lifting these alone. They’re heavy–you could hurt yourself,” I say, handing him a bottle.


    He chuckles softly. “The kids who usually help are off ying somewhere. So I thought I’d just manage. Lucky you came by.”


    I return a small smile. It’s been so long since I interacted with anyone outside the narrow circle of my life- Liam, Liliana, or work through aptop screen. This simple exchange, with a neighbor whose name I don’t even know, feels strangely warm.


    “What’s your name? People usually call me James,” he says once the bottles are back in their box.


    “Sienna.”


    “Ah, perfect. A beautiful name–fits this sea,” he replies with a kind smile.


    I pause, caught off guard. Rarely does a stranger offer such simple but genuine words. “Thank you, Mr. James.”


    Together, we carry the box to the front of his shop. When it’s done, I rub my chilled hands.


    “If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate. I’ve seen you sitting alone on your balcony. Sometimes being alone is heavy.” His voice is quiet, but full of understanding.


    I froze. His words were so simple, yet they touched something deep inside me. All I could do was offer a small smile, lowering my gaze. “I’ll remember that, sir. Thank you.


    He nodded and walked back into his shop.


    I stood there for a few seconds, letting his words sink in “Being alone is heavy.” Yes, I knew exactly how that felt. But perhaps, like this evening, there are moments when the world quietly offers a little help. It doesn’t always have toe from Liam. It doesn’t always have toe from the past. Sometimes, it could be from a stranger with nothing more than a kind smile


    I returned to the balcony and sat down again. The sea breeze was the same, the cold still stung, but somehow my chest felt just a little warmer.


    The digital clock in the corner of my screen read 3,00 am. In the middle of the room, lit only by the soft glow of the deskmp and myputer, I sat frozen, eyes locked on the page that kept growing line by line. For some reason, nights like this always made my thoughts sharper. Words flowed so easily, as though my subconscious had taken control and allowed all the emotions I’d been hiding to spill out freely.


    My right hand kept pressing the keys, while my left propped up my heavy chin. My body was tired, but I didn’t want to stop. It felt wrong to cut off the stream of ideas when they were pouring out so smoothly.


    Then, out of nowhere, a stabbing pain shot through my stomach.


    I lurched in my chair, clutching my lower abdomen as it something inside was being wrung tight. My breath grew ragged. Cold sweat trickled down my temple. It was so sudden, so sharp.


    Struggling to stand, I tried to make my way to the kitchen for water. Maybe it was just my gastritis ring up, maybe just hunger rebelling because I had skipped dinner. But when I opened the cupboard, all I found was an empty ss and a dry water bottle.


    “Damn it.” The whisper barely escaped my lips.


    I turned, reaching for my phone–or anything–but the pain struck again, harder this time. My legs buckled. My vision blurred. Everything grew unbearably heavy.


    Before I could reach the table or a chair, my body copsed onto the floor.


    The cold tiles met my skin. I tried to open my eyes, tried to call out a name, anyone, but no sound came. My vision dimmed, the room spun, the world receded and then darkness.


    Silence.


    I didn’t know how long I would remain in that void. But in thest fleeting moment before consciousness slipped away, only one thought surfaced, I missed Noah.