My heart has sunk to the pit of my stomach.

I feel horrible.

I feel like a piece of me has been torn away—something I didn’t even realize was there—but now that it’s gone, I feel immense pain.

“Fuck,” I say loudly, cursing myself.

I really fucked up badly with this.

I wish I could take back the words I said to Leon.

I wish she hadn’t heard them.

How do I fix this?

How can I make this right?

I stand at the edge of the dinner table, staring at the ruby rose pendant.

Gently picking it up, I place it back in the box next to the bracelet. I will leave it in her bedroom.

But I can see now that it will take a lot more than a simple gift to win back her trust and affection.

I don’t know what needs to be done, but I will find a way.

I don’t even want to go to bed with this distance between us—maybe—

I pick up the velvet box and jog upstairs towards her bedroom.

Knocking lightly at the door, I step inside. Raisa is sitting on her bed. She quickly wipes at her face, brushing away tears that I wasn’t supposed to see.

“Raisa—I didn’t want to just leave it like that,” I sigh, heavy with guilt. “I understand why you are upset with me. I would be too if I was in your situation. I just need you to know that it is not how I feel. What I said to Leon—it’s not the truth. I am so sorry I said that. I don’t know how, but I will make it up to you. I’m really sorry, Raisa.” I speak gently, and she listens quietly.

She doesn’t look up at me and she doesn’t move from the bed.

I step over to the dresser and put the velvet box on it. The Raisa pendant is hers. Whether or not she speaks to me again—that is her choice too.

I stand in the doorway looking at her for a moment, wishing she would say something—or even just look at me.

But she doesn’t. So, finally, I accept it and turn to walk away. Feeling the heaviness on my shoulders.

I need to give her time. And I need to find a way to make this right.

Lying in bed at night alone, my heart feels heavier than it ever has.

I feel like I’ve lost something that I didn’t know I had and it's breaking my heart.

I want Raisa to be in bed next to me. Instead, she is across the hallway—so close—but so far away.

I roll over and stare at the empty pillow where she should be sleeping.

Sighing, I close my eyes as my hand drifts to her side of the bed.

It feels as though there is a cord tied between us, tugging, softly, constantly pulling because we are supposed to be together. Not apart like this.

It takes a long time for sleep to claim me and when I wake up in the morning, I still feel heavy with guilt.

Chapter 20 - Raisa