He drew his brows together, confused and clearly already hurting.
“I did change, Will. You’re not wrong about that, but I didn’t change because you made me, I changed because Iwantedto believe I could do this. I wanted the kind of love Ollie and Nova have.” I swallowed past the nerves. “I thought if I could stay, if I could quiet the parts of me that always ran, always needed more... Maybe I could become someone who was meant for this kind of love. Your kind of love.”
He didn’t say anything. Just watched me, eyes glassy.
“That’s not who I am. I can’t keep pretending I don’t feel the restlessness in my chest. I need space to burn and grow and be all the wild things I am. That’s not fair to you.”
He blinked slowly, like he was trying to make sense of the ending before it finished landing.
“I don’t hate you. I care about you so much, but I can’t keep shrinking myself to stay in something that doesn’t fit.”
He opened his mouth. Closed it. Then said quietly, “I was going to propose.”
I froze and plopped back into the chair, flabbergasted.
“Will,” I murmured painfully softly. Tears burned my eyes, threatening to break loose.
He pulled out the chair next to mine. “I love you, Luna. I really do.”
I grabbed his hands. They were warm and familiar and comforting in the worst way.
“You know how I told you I was in the foster care system growing up?”
“Yeah.”
“I think when I met you, I thought—this is it. This is what I’ve been searching for. You were stable. You were soft.” My throat tightened, but I kept going. “After the way I grew up, I thought what I needed was the opposite of all of that. If I could find alove that was calm, something unshakable, it would fix the rest. It would fix me.”
His eyes dropped, but he didn’t pull away.
“It worked for a while. I told myself it was enough and that I could be that version of Luna who stayed.” I looked up at him then, really looked at him. “That’s not who I am. I’ve been trying to live inside this version of life that looks good on paper, but every day I’ve felt myself getting smaller, quieter, pretending that it was okay.”
Will’s eyes flickered, the sting hitting before he could look away.
“I thought I could want this forever, but it turns out I was just trying to make myself believe I did. I can’t do that anymore. I can’t keep living a life that looks right if it doesn’tfeelright. It’s not fair to me or you.” I squeezed his hands. “You were good to me. You gave me peace when I needed it. I’d be lying to you—and to myself—if I stayed. I’ve spent too much of my life surviving in silence. I won’t do it again solely because it’s easier.”
He opened his mouth like he wanted to fight and argue, but then he stopped. Because he knew.
“Please just... tell me. Is there someone else?”
I looked at him, and for a second, I thought about lying. About telling him no and leaving it clean, but I’d done enough pretending.
“I didn’t cheat on you,” I said gently.
That was true. Technically. But the truth always lived in the cracks.
“My ex contacted me, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t stir something in me. Not only memories, but... the version of me that existed before I started folding myself up to fit this life.”
Will looked away, jaw clenched.
“I know how it sounds. I know what it looks like. I’m not proud of it, but I have to go back to the States.”
My heart pounded, shame curling low in my stomach like smoke.
I know this makes me a horrible person. I know it does. Leaving this way. Letting something old—something unfinished—pull me back across the ocean. After everything you’ve given me.
“I have to leave,” I whispered. “Not just because of him. Because of me. Because staying would be a slow death, and I’ve already lived too much of my life in survival mode.”
Will sat back, pain evident on his face, but he didn’t stop me. It was the most heartbreaking part because he knew I was already gone. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he looked up at me with more heartbreak than anger.
