Luviyah's hand gently moved away from mine, but she didn't lean back. Instead, her head dipped slightly, her silver hair falling over her eyes. She was quiet for a moment.
Then, I saw a tear.
It slipped down her cheek, catching the soft light from the nearby candle.
She tried to hide it, wiping it away quickly, but I saw it. Her shoulders trembled just a little, and her voice came out barely above a whisper.
"Are you… the one who came to me before?" she asked. "The one who said goodbye?"
Her eyes searched mine. I could see how much it meant to her, how confused and hurt she still was. That moment—whoever she saw, whatever he told her—it mattered deeply.
I hesitated.
"It was me…" I said slowly. "But it wasn't."
She blinked, confused.
"I mean… it was me, but not this version of me. It's hard to explain."
