Chapter 50

As D'Andre held that single, cherished image of Maiari as a baby, a wave of emotions crashed over him, drowning his composure. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring the photograph that now seemed like a lifeline to the woman he loved. He fell to his knees, clutching the picture to his chest, his cries echoing through the empty airport terminal.

"Why, Maiari? Why did you leave?" His voice quivered with anguish as he spoke her name, as if the very utterance carried the weight of his heartbreak. "What did I do to make you go? Was it because of my mistakes, my lies?"

D'Andre's mind raced with questions, his thoughts tumbling over each other in a torrent of confusion and sorrow. He had believed that giving her space was the right thing to do, that time apart would heal their wounds. But now, as he knelt on the cold airport floor, he couldn't help but question his decisions.

"Did she ever get my messages, my apologies? Did she know how much I missed her, how I longed to see her again?" His