Aftermath

India

I sat on the edge of the bed, knees tucked up to my chest.

The villa was quieter than usual. Like even the walls knew not to say too much.

My eyes stayed fixed on the floor, tracing invisible cracks in the wood. Louis' name echoed in my ears, wrapped in Lana's chilling finality.

"...the second person leaving my retreat is... Louis."

I didn't blink. I didn't breathe. I just froze.

His absence was loud. I could feel him, still. The heat of him. The stillness of him. The fear pouring off his body like sweat.

He didn't move. Not at first.

Maybe he thought I'd look at him.

Maybe he thought I'd reach for his hand and say this is a mistake, stay.

But I didn't.

I couldn't even find the strength to lift my gaze. Because if I looked at him, I'd crumble. And I was tired of falling apart for someone who never caught me.

I lifted my head slowly.

No sign of him. No last glance. No goodbye.

Just the empty space where he used to sit. And the memory of the night before burning behind my eyes.

I didn't know what I wanted to feel.

Anger?

Sadness?

Closure?

No, not yet.

Maybe later.

Maybe when the cameras are off. When no one's watching me be the girl who let someone in just to watch him walk away. Yet again.

⸻

Louis

I couldn't breathe. Couldn't move.

Her silence felt louder than Lana's words.She didn't look at me. Not once.

That's how I knew I'd lost her.

I wanted to say India, please.I wanted to hold her in my arms. I wanted to beg.

But she didn't want apologies anymore.She wanted proof.

And all I had were promises I'd already broken.

So I stood.

And walked away.

And pretended like I wasn't dying with every step.