Dominic sat in his car for what felt like hours, the engine off but his mind running wild. The thought of seeing Elena again , of facing everything left unsaid twisted his stomach into knots. He stared at the house from the parking lot, his hands gripping the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the windows that once felt like home.
He rehearsed what he might say, over and over. "I'm sorry." "I didn't choose this." "I came back for you." None of it felt right. None of it could erase what had happened.
He was lost in thought when a shadow moved across the driveway then a voice broke through."Are you planning to sit there all day?" Valerie leaned against his car window, arms folded, the wind teasing strands of her hair. "I saw you from the balcony. Why didn't you come in?"
Dominic sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Because I don't know what to say to her. I don't even know how to look at her anymore."
