She’d gone abroad to seek help, hoping to lift the curse that haunted her family. But she came back just as cursed, with no solution and no future. Luke didn’t care. To him, she was still the perfect, beautiful girl who had once held his heart. Whenever Ayla called, he’d drop everything for her, like I didn’t even exist.
For years, I had stayed by his side, loyal, foolishly hoping things would change. But Luke was always somewhere else—his mind, his heart, with her. And when Ayla needed him again, he gave her everything.
I watched him, dedicating himself to finding a cure for her, sacrificing everything, including us. He was still trying to save someone who didn’t even care about him.
I was done waiting for him to realize I existed.
Tonight, I was going to confront him. No more pretending. No more avoiding the truth.
I waited at the village square, watching the moonlight flicker through the trees. It was quiet except for the crackling of the fire nearby. Luke’s parents had already gone inside, unaware of the storm about to hit.
Then, I saw him. Luke, walking toward me, his expression hard and distant. The same face I had seen for years, closed off from me.
“Emily, what’s this about?” he asked, stopping a few feet away.
I stared at him, not saying anything for a moment. I didn’t even feel anger anymore. Just... emptiness. The air felt thick between us, charged with all the unspoken words and lingering feelings that had built up over the years.
“Why?” I finally asked, my voice low but steady.
He frowned, confusion flickering across his face. “Why what?”
“Why do you keep pretending I matter to you?” I said, my voice growing sharper with each word. “You’re never here, Luke. You’re always running after her. Ayla.” Her name tasted bitter on my tongue, like a poison I couldn’t swallow.
He shifted, uncomfortable, and I could see the tension in his shoulders. “You don’t understand—”
“I understand perfectly,” I cut him off, my heart racing as I stepped closer. “I know you love her. You’ve never stopped loving her. But what about me? I’ve been standing here, waiting for you to see me for years.”
The silence that followed felt like a weight pressing down on us. His gaze dropped to the ground, jaw clenched tight as if my words physically pained him. “It’s complicated,” he murmured, the words barely escaping his lips.