Mia lay awake that night, the soft hum of the ocean waves just outside the window barely registering in her mind. Her thoughts were too loud, too tangled to find any kind of peace. The conversation with Adrian replayed in her head, each word, each moment magnified in her mind. She had demanded honesty, and yet, now that she had it, she wasn't sure what to do with it.
Adrian had admitted his past with Sophie, but the unease didn't leave Mia. Instead, it only grew stronger. The truth, while relieving in one sense, had left an empty space in her heart that she wasn't sure how to fill. Sophie wasn't just someone from Adrian's past anymore—she was a looming figure in their present, a threat Mia hadn't seen coming.
She hadn't expected to feel this way. She didn't want to be this woman—the one who questioned everything, who second-guessed her partner's every move. But there it was. The thought of Adrian and Sophie still lingering in some unfinished chapter was enough to plant doubt deep in her heart.
Mia turned on her side, her fingers brushing against the cool sheets. She had given Adrian the space he asked for, but now it was her turn. She needed time to process everything. This wasn't just about Sophie or Adrian's past. It was about her trust in him, in them, and the future they had tried to build.
As the hours slipped by, Mia's mind refused to settle. The sound of Adrian's voice drifted to her ears from the living room, soft murmurs of a conversation she wasn't privy to. She knew he was talking to someone—likely Sophie, trying to explain himself further. Mia's stomach turned at the thought, and her heart ached with a sudden surge of jealousy. She hated feeling this way, but the emotion burned too hot to ignore.
Mia knew this wasn't healthy. This wasn't the person she wanted to be, the person she thought she was when she arrived at this cottage—a place of peace, a place to heal. But how could she heal if the past kept crashing back into her life like a tidal wave?
She needed to face this head-on. Mia rose from the bed, the floorboards creaking underfoot as she made her way to the living room. The door was slightly ajar, and she could hear Adrian's voice, clearer now. She took a deep breath and pushed it open.
There, standing in the dim light of the room, was Sophie. Adrian was sitting on the couch, his expression strained, and Sophie stood in front of him, her arms crossed. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
"I just don't understand why you're making this so hard, Adrian," Sophie's voice was calm, but the undertones of frustration were unmistakable. "We've been through too much together for you to throw this all away now."
Mia froze, her heart pounding in her chest. Adrian looked up at her, his eyes widening in surprise. Sophie, however, didn't seem fazed. She smiled faintly, a knowing, almost smug expression on her face as she glanced over her shoulder at Mia.
"Don't mind me," Sophie said coolly. "I'm just here, trying to make him see sense."
Mia's throat tightened, but she refused to let the anger boil over. Instead, she walked toward Adrian, her steps slow and deliberate. She didn't look at Sophie. Not yet. She needed to focus on Adrian, on him. The man she thought she knew.
"I think it's time I leave," Mia said softly, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her. "You two need to figure this out."
Adrian stood quickly, his face full of panic. "Mia, wait. Please, don't leave like this."
But Mia was already at the door. She stopped, her hand on the knob, but she didn't turn it just yet. "I need time, Adrian. I need to think. About everything." She didn't look back as she spoke, her voice quiet but firm.
Sophie's smirk grew wider as she watched the exchange, a flicker of triumph dancing in her eyes. But Mia wasn't focusing on her. She didn't have the energy to engage in Sophie's games. The only thing that mattered now was that Mia needed clarity—space to breathe and find her own way forward.
Without waiting for Adrian to respond, Mia opened the door and stepped out into the cool night air.
---
Outside, the night sky stretched wide and endless above her, the cool ocean breeze brushing against her face as she walked aimlessly down the familiar path that led to the beach. Mia's mind was clouded with thoughts of Adrian and Sophie, of the past and the present. The more she thought about it, the more she realized just how torn she was. She wanted to be with Adrian. She wanted to believe in them, in what they had. But could she trust him completely now? Could she let go of the shadow of Sophie's presence looming between them?
She didn't know the answer. Not yet.
The beach was quiet, the soft sound of the waves lapping against the shore providing a comforting rhythm. Mia walked along the water's edge, her bare feet sinking into the cool sand. She didn't have a destination in mind, only the need to escape the suffocating tension of the cottage, the tension of her own heart.
Her thoughts kept returning to Adrian. His confession had been raw, real, and painful to hear. But was it enough? Was it enough to rebuild what they had? Or would the cracks in their relationship become too large to mend?
As she reached the end of the beach, Mia stopped and looked out at the horizon. The stars were bright, scattered across the sky like diamonds, but she couldn't shake the feeling of being lost. She was standing at the edge of something, teetering on the brink of a decision she wasn't ready to make.
Taking a deep breath, Mia closed her eyes, trying to find some semblance of peace. She needed clarity. And she needed to stop running from the questions that kept circling in her mind. It wasn't just about Adrian. It was about her too—what she wanted, what she deserved, and what kind of love she was willing to fight for.
When she opened her eyes again, the path ahead seemed less clear than ever.