ARIANNE POV
I spent the rest of the day crying. The kind of crying that leaves your chest heavy, as if the weight of the world had pressed itself against your heart, refusing to leave. I wasn't one for tears. Not usually. But today, it all came crashing down.
I hadn't wanted to make that decision. It wasn't something I ever imagined myself doing, and yet, I had just spent moments ago telling Ivan about what I wanted to do. The hurt in his eyes and the pain in his voice felt like a gut punch, one I knew would leave a mark deeper than either of us could bear.