Chapter Eighty Nine

As I hurriedly walked away from Rueben, his anguished cries echoed in my ears, tearing at my already shattered heart. Each step I took felt heavier than the last, as if the weight of my decision was crushing me from within. I desperately tried to hold in my tears, not wanting to show weakness, but the pain was too much to bear.

Finally, I found a quiet corner where I could be alone, away from Rueben's searching gaze. With my back against the wall, I couldn't hold back the flood of tears any longer. They streamed down my face, mingling with my stifled sobs. The pain of losing Rueben, the one person who had loved me unconditionally, was unbearable.

I felt a mix of guilt, regret, and heartache wash over me. How could I have let it come to this? How could I have pushed away the one person who truly cared for me? The weight of my mistakes and the consequences of my actions crashed down upon me, and I felt as if I would drown in my own sorrow.

In that moment of despair, I reached out to my