Chapter 39

~Charlotte

"I slumped against the bed, the weight of my regret crushing me. My eyes felt like lead, but I forced them shut, letting the memories of Dylan wash over me like a dark tide. His face was a blur, a jumbled mix of laughter and tears, of joy and pain. I knew I'd have to face him again, to put on a mask of love and pretend that everything was fine. But the thought of it was suffocating, a weight that pressed down on my chest and made it hard to breathe."

"A sigh escaped my lips, a ragged sound that seemed to tear from my very soul. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, hot and bitter, as the weight of my sorrow threatened to consume me. I felt like I was drowning in it, like the pain was a dark sea that was pulling me under. In that moment, I knew I had to find a way to escape, to flee from the agony that was suffocating me."

"I wrapped my coat around me like a shield and stepped out into the garden, the cool evening air a welcome respite from the suffocating emotions that h