{EMY}
AUREA
No future.
No recovery.
No fixing the timeline.
So I followed him.
Silently. Carefully. Like chasing a wounded animal afraid of being seen.
He walked out to the rooftop balcony, shoulders slumped, exhaustion clinging to him like a second skin.
The door clicked softly behind him, and he exhaled—long, shaky, collapsing on the rail as though the entire world pressed down on his back.
I slipped out too, keeping my distance, hiding in the shadowed corner near the doorway.
From there, I could see everything.
Eric gripping the railing so hard his knuckles turned white.
His chest rising and falling too fast.
His eyes squeezed shut, like he was holding back something—anger, tears, fear… maybe all of it.
He didn't deserve this.
Not the stress.
Not the blame.
Not the impossible task of holding three unraveling lives together on top of his own.
And watching him now…
I knew I'd chosen right.
