Chapter 96: The Unthinkable

Days turned into weeks, and Gift did her best to distance herself from Michael, though it broke her heart. Michael, sensing something was wrong, decided to give her a call one evening. As Gift was driving home from a friend’s house, her phone rang. Seeing Michael’s name on the caller ID, she hesitated before answering. “Hey, Michael,” she greeted, trying to keep her voice steady. “Hey, Gift,” Michael replied, his tone hesitant. “I’ve been trying to reach you but your line wasn’t going through, are you okay?” Gift forced a smile, even though Michael couldn’t see it. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just on my way home.” There was a pause on the other end, and Gift could sense Michael’s uneasiness. “Is something wrong, Michael?” “I… I just wanted to speak to you and hear your voice,” he admitted. “I miss you, Gift.” Tears pricked at Gift’s eyes as she gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I miss you too, Michael.” Before they could say anything else, Gift’s phone beeped with another call coming