The car moved in silence through the nearly deserted streets. The city slept, oblivious to the pain overflowing in the passenger seat. Celina stared out the window, but she didn’t really see anything. Her eyes were clouded—not just by tears, but by everything that had been ripped away from her.

While Gabriel drove, he kept one hand firmly over hers, steady, grounding her.

She clenched her fists in her lap, trying to control the tremor that refused to leave her body. Each memory cut like a blade. Everything spun, everything collapsed. It felt as if there was no ground beneath her feet anymore—no direction, no sense of self.

“I should’ve just been alone…” she whispered, barely audible, her gaze still fixed on the glass.

Gabriel tightened his hold on her hand, glancing at her briefly.

“Don’t say that, Cê. Please, don’t.”

“I’m tired, Gabriel…” her voice cracked mid-sentence. “Tired of loving too much and… always ending up alone. Always. Why?”

He swallowed hard, each word from her hitting