𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄 | ✎

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟖

I wasn't surprised to see Alex missing from my side in the morning. Ever since this fling of ours started, I've gotten used to him sneaking out at night. I never worked up the courage to ask him to stay, and I'm not planning on doing that anytime soon.

Half of the day has passed already, giving me time to think about our conversation last night. He said we should stop this thing we have going on, but I have no clue whether he meant it or not.

Maybe he was just feeling emotional?

But no matter how much I try to convince myself that he doesn't mean it, I know the look Alex gives me when he's being serious. It's that same look from last night, and it's the face he's made in the past. He really means it.

We haven't talked about the conversation since last night, let alone talk much at all. He's been walking by my side for the past few hours, following me wherever I go—which has been almost every room in the palace at this point.

Once we reach a private area, though, I've had enough. I need to talk to him—to just be able to hear his voice once more. And I need to make sure that I don't lose him for good, especially not over Marco.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, trying to prepare myself for what's to come. This moment has been weighing on my mind since I woke up this morning, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to confront it head-on. But I know that I have to. I can't let this eat away at me forever.

"Alex," I blurt out, spinning around to face him with a frown etched on my face. "We should talk about our conversation from last night."

He shifts beside me, and a silence stretches awkwardly between us as he stops in his tracks and looks down at the ground. My heart is beating rapidly, eager for him to respond—to say anything at all.

"You," Alex begins, "and me." He pauses, swallowing hard and gesturing in between the two of us. "Us," he corrects himself. "We can't keep doing this. I mean, it was going to end eventually, right?"

I never knew what it meant when people told me that words cut them to their core until now. Angry tears threaten to spill out of my eyes, but I force myself to take a deep breath and not get emotional.

"Alex." I barely manage to croak out his name, my voice trembling with emotion. "Why?" My voice echoes hollowly around the room, the question hanging in the air between us like a physical presence.

The determination in Alex's eyes is clear; he seems so sure about this decision. But why now? Why does he want to end this? We've been through so much together; how can he just throw it all away?