Chapter 86

As I sit quietly in the living room, my heart felt heavy with uncertainty. Every laugh shared between Ruine and Ciara felt like a dagger to my chest, a painful reminder of the bond they once had—a bond I could never truly break. I watch as Ciara effortlessly brings up memories of Cecily every now and then, each story pulling Ruine’s attention further away from me.

This has been my life since Ciara came into this house.

It is as if I were an intruder in my own home, a guest in a space that had once felt warm and inviting. The laughter that echoes around us feels foreign, like it belongs to a time before I stepped into Ruine's life. I can feel the distance growing between us, a chasm that Ciara's presence only widens.

“Ruine,” I whisper, my voice barely audible, “do you think we can talk?”

My heart races, hoping to reclaim a moment of intimacy amidst the chaos that Ciara has brought. But as I look into Ruine's eyes, I see a flicker of something—nostalgia, perhaps, or a longing for the