*The Past Unravels*
As he paused, the city seemed to hold its breath, waiting for me to respond. I felt a rush of emotions, my mind racing with questions. What happened to the girl he loved? Why was their love forbidden?
I took a deep breath, my voice barely above a whisper. "What happened to her?"
His eyes dropped, and for a moment, I thought he wouldn't answer. But then, in a voice laced with pain, he spoke. "She was from a different world, a world that didn't understand love like we did. Her family forced her to marry someone else, to erase me from her life."
My heart ached for him, for the pain he must have endured. I squeezed his hand, urging him to continue.
"We met in secret, stealing moments whenever we could," he said, a faint smile on his lips. "We'd sit by the river, watching the stars, dreaming of a future that seemed impossible. She was my everything, my reason to breathe."
A tear slipped down his cheek, and I felt a lump form in my throat. I wiped it away, my touch gentle.
"One night, she left me a letter, telling me she'd found a way to escape, to be with me. But it was a trap. Her family had orchestrated it all, to humiliate me, to destroy our love."
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I felt a surge of anger, of helplessness. How could people be so cruel?
He looked up, his eyes red-rimmed. "I lost her, but I gained something more - a determination to live for myself, to follow my heart, no matter the cost."
As he finished, the city came alive, the sounds of the night filtering back in. I felt a connection, a bond that went beyond words. I knew I had to tell him...
To be continued...
