Page 221 of Fractured Devotion
And I sit in the bakery, on the edge of something I can’t yet name, as the phone keeps ringing.
Chapter 62 – Alec - Ashes and Promises
She hangs up first.
The call dies in my ear, leaving a hollow static in its place.
I drop the phone onto the table, letting it clatter against the wood.
The weight of her words presses into my chest, tight and sharp.
She’s leaving.
Today.
I lean forward with my elbows braced on my knees, dragging my hands down my face.
Every part of me screams to let her go. To respect the walls she’s building, to let her walk away if that’s what she thinks she needs.
But I can’t sit still.
I can’t pretend I’m the man who can just stand by while she erases herself from my life.
I stare at the phone, my breath uneven, the war inside me spilling wider by the second.
I don’t want to lose her.
Not again.
I stand abruptly, shoving the chair back with a sharp scrape against the floor. My movements are fast, frantic. My jacket is in my hands before I even register grabbing it.
I move on instinct, my body faster than my thoughts.
By the time I realise my intent, I’m already halfway to my car.
The engine roars to life, and I pull out without caution, weaving through the streets with single-minded focus.
I keep replaying her voice in my head. Calm. Detached. Already slipping through my fingers.
I park fast in front of her building, the tires skidding slightly against the curb.
I’m out of the car in seconds, my heart hammering.
I take the stairs two at a time, not bothering to catch my breath.
I knock hard.
No answer.
I knock again, louder this time.
Still nothing.
I twist the handle, and the door gives.
Inside, the apartment feels empty.
Boxes line the walls, neatly stacked and sealed.
