Confession

Relief washed over me in waves, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. The turmoil that had been keeping me awake at night finally settled, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a sense of peace wash over me.

But then, as I basked in the warmth of his embrace, reality came crashing back with a vengeance. He had shown up out of nowhere, as if he hadn’t left after promising he would never leave. Anger bubbled up inside me, hot and fierce, and before I could stop myself, I pulled away from his arms.

With a surge of adrenaline, I stomped on his foot with all the force I could muster, my heeled boots making contact with a satisfying thud. He winced in pain, clutching his foot, and I felt a sense of satisfaction wash over me, tempered with a hint of regret at my own outburst.

“Okay, I deserved that,” Izan admitted, wincing in pain as he nursed his foot.

“You’re such a jerk! You know that!” I couldn’t hold back the anger in my voice, but he just kept his gaze do