Chapter 38. Do you love me?

I had no idea how long I had been curled up in the blanket, but my eyes could never feel sleepy. As the night stretched on, the weight of Evan's words lingered heavily in my mind.

“No matter how hard you or he tries, you won't be able to replace my mom's space in his heart.”

The darkness of the room seemed to press in on me, matching the suffocating feeling in my chest. I couldn't shake the doubt that crept in, poisoning my thoughts about River and our relationship. Was Evan right? Was I just a pawn in some twisted game of emotions?

I tossed and turned, unable to find a comfortable position as my mind raced with conflicting thoughts. The memory of River's casual proposal haunted me, intertwined with Evan's warning like a tangled web. It felt like I was standing at a crossroad, unsure of which path to take.

With a heavy heart and exhausted body, I finally succumbed to sleep, though it offered little solace from the turmoil swirling within me.

***

As consciousness began to find me again