Chapter 97: Dark Hair

Charlotte A soft knock on the door broke through my thoughts, and I turned to see Livy standing in the doorway, her expression concerned. “Hey,” she said softly as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her. “I heard about Damien.” I managed a small smile, though it felt forced. “Yeah. Harold stopped by with the news and brought me cake to soften the blow.” Livy frowned and crossed the room to sit beside me. “Are you okay?” I shrugged, trying to keep my emotions in check. “I don’t know. I mean, I understand that he had something important come up, but… it just feels like I’m always the one waiting for him.” Livy’s expression softened, and she reached out to squeeze my hand. “You don’t have to keep waiting, you know. It’s okay to put yourself first.” I nodded, though deep down, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to fully accept that yet. I had invested so much of myself into this, and walking away felt like admitting defeat. But at the same time, I was tired of feeling like I was