As the seasons shifted, Jasmine and Alex grew closer, their lives weaving together in ways that felt both inevitable and delicate, like threads drawn together by some unseen hand. They spent quiet evenings in her apartment, laughing over shared meals, reading books side by side, losing themselves in each other's presence. Yet, as much as Jasmine cherished these moments, a lingering feeling of doubt began to haunt her.Alex, for all his warmth and kindness, carried a weight within him that he rarely let her see. There were nights when she would wake to find him sitting by the window, staring into the darkness with a look of deep sadness on his face. When she asked him about it, he would only smile, brushing her concerns aside with a gentle kiss, but his silence left her feeling hollow.One evening, as they sat on the floor of her living room, surrounded by the warm glow of candlelight, Jasmine decided to confront the unspoken distance between them."Alex," she began softly, reaching for his hand. "I feel like there's something you're not telling me."He looked at her, his gaze shadowed, and for a moment, she thought he might finally open up. But then he shook his head, his expression turning distant."It's nothing," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "I don't want to burden you with my problems."Her heart ached at his words. "You don't have to protect me," she whispered. "I want to be there for you, the way you've been there for me."He sighed, looking down at their entwined hands. "Jasmine, there are things about me… things that I'm not proud of. I don't want you to see that part of me."She felt a pang of fear, but she pushed it aside, focusing on the love she felt for him. "Whatever it is, it doesn't change how I feel about you. I just want you to trust me."For a moment, he seemed to waver, his expression softening as he looked at her. But then he pulled away, standing up and running a hand through his hair."Maybe one day," he said quietly. "But not tonight."The silence that followed was heavy, filled with unspoken words and a sense of loss that she couldn't quite explain. She wanted to reach for him, to hold him, to tell him that she would stand by him no matter what. But as she watched him retreat into himself, she realized that there were parts of him she might never fully understand.