Conflicted Embrace

If this continued, it would lead to something terrible.

After an intimate night in Ethan's master bedroom, the sky had already darkened. Ethan held her tightly as he slept, but Lily lay there, wide awake, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Carefully, she wriggled free from Ethan's arm, slipped on a nightgown, and quietly walked to the balcony after opening the floor-to-ceiling windows. The night breeze was cold, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the air-conditioned room.

It was as if the cool air instantly blew away the fog in her mind.

Her phone displayed the time: 23:59.

Slowly, the time crossed over into the next day.

Alex Carter.

Happy birthday.

Congratulations on your wedding.

May you always be happy.

Lily silently wished him well in her heart, letting the warm tears flow down her cheeks. The pain in her chest was so intense that it left her speechless.