Morning arrived quietly, but nothing inside Maya felt calm.
Sunlight slipped through the curtains, painting soft gold across her room, yet her chest felt heavy—as if something unseen was pressing down on her. She lay still, staring at the ceiling, replaying every second of the previous night.
No call.
No message.
Only silence.
Maya finally sat up, clutching her phone. Adrian's name was still there, unchanged. Her heart whispered his name, but her pride stopped her fingers.
He said he was scared of losing me…
So why does it feel like I'm the only one holding on?
She exhaled shakily and got ready for the day, wearing a calm expression she didn't feel. Fear was easier to hide than disappointment.Adrian — Walking Back Into the Past
Adrian stood outside the café Shiya had chosen, the place too familiar for comfort. It was the kind of place where memories clung to walls—laughter that once felt real, promises that now tasted bitter.
He stepped inside.
Shiya was already there, seated by the window, dressed elegantly, as if nothing had ever broken between them. When she looked up and saw him, her lips curved into a knowing smile.
"You came," she said softly.
"I didn't come for you," Adrian replied coldly, taking the seat across from her. "Say what you need to say."
Shiya tilted her head, studying him. "You've changed."
"Yes," he said firmly. "And you didn't."
That smile faltered—for just a second.
She reached for her coffee. "You always were cruel when you were pretending to be strong."
Adrian's jaw tightened. "Don't play games. Why are you here?"Shiya leaned forward. "Because you're forgetting where you come from. Because you think you can move on like none of it mattered."
"It didn't," he said quietly. "Not the way you wanted it to."
Her eyes darkened. "And her? That girl—Maya. You think she'll survive the world you belong to?"
Adrian stood up abruptly. "Don't say her name."
Shiya laughed softly. "There it is. You love her."
Silence fell between them.
Adrian didn't deny it.
"That's your weakness," Shiya whispered. "And mine too, once."
"You lost me the moment you tried to control me," Adrian said. "And I won't let you touch my life again."
Shiya's voice turned sharp. "You can walk away from me. But the past doesn't walk away from you."
He looked down at her, eyes burning. "Watch me."
And he walked out.
But even as he did, the weight of what she'd said followed him like a shadow.Maya — Unspoken Pain
At work, Maya tried to focus, but every sound felt distant. Emila noticed immediately.
"You're quiet," Emila said gently. "That's not normal."
Maya forced a smile. "Just tired."
But Emila didn't push. She simply squeezed Maya's hand. Sometimes support didn't need words.
During lunch, Maya finally checked her phone again.
Still nothing.
Her heart sank.
Maybe I imagined everything.
Maybe he's pulling away… slowly.
She remembered Shiya's name—how it had slipped once from Adrian's lips in the past. A name he never explained.
Jealousy wasn't loud.
It was quiet.
Sharp.
And lonely.
---Two Hearts, Same Fear
Adrian sat in his car, hands gripping the steering wheel. His phone buzzed.
A notification.
For one hopeful second, he thought it was Maya.
It wasn't.
Another message from Shiya.
> "You chose her. Good. Just don't forget—choices have consequences."
He deleted the message instantly.
Then opened his contacts.
Maya.
His thumb hovered.
But fear stopped him.
What if telling her the truth scared her away?
What if his past became too heavy for her gentle heart?Across the city, Maya stared at the same empty screen.
Both of them waiting.
Both of them hurting.
Neither brave enough—yet—to break the distance.
And somewhere between silence and love,
their hearts whispered the same question—
> How much pain can love survive… before it breaks?