For Elena, life had been a series of rigid compartments—work, family, and emotions carefully walled off to avoid getting overwhelmed. But lately, one of those walls had started to crack. Specifically, the wall that separated her feelings toward Elliot, her stepbrother and former bully. At first, her emotions were straightforward: anger, resentment, and distrust. But now, there were other feelings creeping in—unwelcome and confusing ones that she didn’t know how to deal with. It started subtly. She began noticing the small, thoughtful things Elliot did around her, like remembering how she took her coffee, giving her space during stressful moments at work, or helping their mother with household chores when she was too tired to do so herself. None of these actions seemed calculated or manipulative. Instead, they felt genuine, almost natural, and that was what unsettled Elena the most. One morning at work, she overheard a few colleagues joking about how Elliot had stayed late to help
Last Updated : 2024-12-15
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