That night, Lily sat in her apartment, staring at the blank page on her laptop. Words had always been her escape, but now even they failed her.
Her phone buzzed, James' name lighting up the screen. She let it ring, her emotions too raw to face him.
When the ringing stopped, she sighed, running a hand through her hair. She knew she couldn't avoid him forever, but the thought of confronting whatever he was hiding terrified her.
Her phone buzzed again, this time with a text.
James:
I need to explain. Please let me.
Lily stared at the message for a long moment before typing a reply.
Lily:
Come over.
Less than an hour later, James was at her door. He looked exhausted, the usual confidence in his demeanor replaced by something fragile.
"Talk," she said, stepping aside to let him in.
James took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "The woman you saw today—she's an old friend. Someone I've been helping through a tough situation."
Lily crossed her arms. "What kind of situation?"
James hesitated, his gaze dropping. "She's my ex. She's in trouble, and I promised her I'd help, but I didn't want to tell you because... I didn't want you to get the wrong idea."
The admission hit Lily like a punch to the gut. "So you've been spending time with your ex and keeping it from me?"
"It's not like that," James insisted. "I'm not involved with her—haven't been for years. But she needed help, and I couldn't say no."
Lily shook her head, her emotions warring. "Do you have any idea how this looks? How it makes me feel?"
"I know," James said quietly. "And I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner. I just... didn't want to lose you."
The vulnerability in his voice softened Lily's anger, but the hurt lingered. "I need time to think," she said finally, her voice trembling.
James nodded, stepping closer but stopping short of touching her. "I'll give you as much time as you need. Just... don't shut me out completely."
As he left, Lily closed the door, leaning against it as tears pricked her eyes. She wanted to believe him—to trust that their connection was worth the risk. But part of her couldn't shake the fear that she
was setting herself up for heartbreak.