Page 28 of Royal Compromise

“I’m sorry, Aria,” he whispers, his voice barely audible above the sound of my racing heart. “I never meant to pressure you. I just...I don’t know what else to do.”

In that moment, as the world around us seems to come crashing down, I realize that love alone may not be enough to bridge the chasm between our dreams and desires. With a heavy heart, I know that the road ahead may be one traveled alone.

We end the call as the light fades into dusk, and our conflicting desires cast shadows over us signaling the inevitable. Despite the enduring love between us, it seems our paths are diverging, leading us on separate journeys.

Alone in my house, I allow myself to succumb to the weight of my sorrow. Tears stream down my face unchecked as I come to terms with the reality of our situation. The love we once shared may still linger in the recesses of my heart, but it’s no match for the harsh truths of life pulling us apart.

***

With Cade’s departure, it feels like my world is crumbling around me. Each minute feels like a battle against the overwhelming emptiness that consumes me.

I try to take my mind off it by going to the bakery, but the once vibrant atmosphere of my shop now feels hauntingly silent, serving as a painful reminder of the love Cade and I once shared. I throw myself into my work, hoping to find solace in the familiar rhythm of baking, but the ache of his absence lingers, a constant companion in my loneliness.

As the hours pass, I find myself sinking deeper into the abyss of heartbreak. I find myself struggling to keep up the facade of normalcy. The once lively atmosphere of the bakery feels suffocating, and the laughter and chatter of my friends and coworkers are painful reminders of the void in my heart. With a heavy sigh, I announce to the girls that I’m heading home early, ignoring the pity in their eyes as I make my escape.

The journey home feels like an eternity, with each step a painful reminder of the loneliness that awaits me. Finally, as I step through the threshold of my empty house, the dam holding back my emotions breaks, and I collapse onto the couch, tears streaming down my face. The weight of my grief threatens to suffocate me as I struggle to catch my breath amidst the sobs wracking my body.

In a moment of desperation, I reach for my phone, dialing Rose’s number with trembling fingers. As the line rings, my heart pounds in my chest, a mix of fear and longing swirling within me. When she answers, her voice is a lifeline in the darkness, a beacon of hope in my sea of despair.

“Hey, Aria,” Rose greets me, her tone gentle yet concerned. “Is everything okay?”

I pour out my heart to Rose about the argument between Cade and I; her reaction is a mix of sympathy and concern. “Oh, Aria, I’m so sorry to hear that,” she says, her voice filled with genuine empathy. “I can’t imagine how difficult this must be for you.”

I tell her about the past few days, about the ache of his absence, and about the loneliness that threatens to consume me.

Tears continue to well up in my eyes as I recount the pain of having him with me for just a short time—the loneliness that threatens to engulf me. “It’s like a piece of me is missing,” I confess, my voice cracking with emotion. “I don’t know how to move on from this.”

Rose tries to comfort me, her virtual presence a comforting embrace in my time of need. “You don’t have to have all the answers right now, Aria,” she reassures me. “Just take things one day at a time, and know that I’m here for you, no matter what.”

Her words offer a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness, a reminder that I’m not alone in my struggles. “Thank you, Rose,” I whisper, gratitude swelling within me. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

As I speak, Rose listens with unwavering patience, her presence a comforting anchor in the storm of my emotions. She offers words of solace and understanding, and her empathy is a soothing balm to my wounded soul. And in that moment, I’m reminded of the true power of friendship and of the strength that comes from knowing that I’m not alone in my struggles.

Hours pass in a blur as Rose and I talk, the night stretching on into the early hours of the morning. And though the pain of Cade’s absence still lingers, I find a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness, a sense of peace in knowing that I have someone by my side who will always be there for me.

As the first light of dawn filters through the curtains, I finally bid Rose goodnight, my heart a little lighter than it was before. And as I curl up in bed, I enjoy the little reprieve I feel knowing that as soon as the memories of Cade flood back into my mind, I’ll be back to being brokenhearted.

***

I wake up, the heaviness in my heart seems to have intensified overnight, weighing me down like an anchor and dragging me to the depths of despair. Despite my late-night conversation with Rose, the ache of Cade’s absence still gnaws at me, relentless in its grip on my soul.

Dragging myself out of bed, I go through the motions of getting ready for the day, each movement feeling like a Herculean task. The thought of facing another day without Cade by my side fills me with a sense of dread; the emptiness in my heart is a constant companion in my waking hours.

Arriving at the bakery, I try again to lose myself in the familiar routine of baking, hoping that the distraction will ease the pain in my heart. But as I mix the ingredients and shape the dough, the memories of Cade flood my mind, each moment tinged with the bittersweet ache of what once was.

The sound of laughter from a nearby table jolts me out of my reverie, and I glance over to see a couple lost in each other’s eyes, oblivious to the world around them. A pang of jealousy shoots through me as I watch them, the sight of their happiness serving as a painful reminder of what I’ve lost.

Unable to bear the weight of my emotions any longer, I excuse myself from the bakery and make my way home, the tears threatening to spill over at any moment. With each step, the ache in my heart intensifies—a relentless throbbing that refuses to be ignored.

Finally reaching my house I collapse back onto the couch, the floodgates of my emotions bursting open as I allow myself to succumb to the overwhelming grief that consumes me. Tears stream down my face as I cry out the pain of Cade’s absence, each sob a testament to the depth of my sorrow.

Hours pass in a blur as I let myself cry, the weight of my emotions slowly easing with each tear shed. And as the sun begins to set outside my window, casting a warm glow over the room, I feel a sense of catharsis wash over me, the release of my pent-up emotions being a balm to my wounded soul.

Though the pain of Cade’s absence still lingers, I know that I must find a way to move forward, to pick up the pieces of my shattered heart, and to rebuild my life without him. And as I curl up on the couch, surrounded by the remnants of my tears, I know that I’m one step closer to finding the strength to face whatever the future may hold.

Chapter fourteen

CADE

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