The next few days passed quietly. Lisa had been discharged from the hospital, but her emotions hadn't healed as quickly as her body.
Back at home, she avoided eye contact with Alex whenever they crossed paths. She barely spoke to him unless necessary, kept her answers short, and spent most of her time in her room or with the children at school.
Alex noticed.
And it made him restless.
One night, while he was walking down the hallway, he heard her soft laughter echoing from the phone in her hand.
She was talking to one of her university friends—a guy.
Alex's eyes darkened.
But when he stepped closer, Lisa turned around, smiled politely, and said, "Good night, brother."
Brother.
It burned.
⸻
Scene Break: Garden Café Near Hospital
Zia stirred her coffee as Eli leaned back in his chair, a rare, easy smile on his face. They had met up a few times now, and Zia's lightheartedness was becoming something Eli looked forward to.
"You're so tense all the time," Zia teased. "I think your shoulders forgot how to relax."
"Occupational hazard," Eli replied with a smile. "I'm a surgeon. I can't afford to relax too much."
Zia leaned in, playful. "Well, then maybe you need a friend like me to remind you how."
Their eyes locked for a moment—something unspoken passed between them.
Something warm. Gentle.
And real.
⸻
Scene Break: Lisa's Room – Late Evening
Lisa sat by her window, knees pulled to her chest, the city lights glimmering outside like fading stars. A soft song played from her speaker as she whispered to herself—her voice trembling.
"I've loved him for years... even when he ignored me, even when he brought Mia home... my heart never changed."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"I wish I could forget. I really do..."
Outside her door, Mia had paused, frozen in place.
She had come to return a scarf Lisa left behind—but what she heard...
It pierced her.
Lisa's voice broke again. "I know he'll never look at me like that. I'm just his adopted sister. But it hurts, Mia... it hurts so much..."
Mia's hand clutched the folded scarf tightly. Her heart twisted. She wanted to open the door. To hold Lisa, to say something—anything.
But she didn't.
She couldn't.
Instead, she placed the scarf by the door gently and walked away—silently wiping her own tears.
⸻
Scene Break: Alex's Office – The Next Day
Alex loosened his tie and leaned back in his chair. He had made his decision.
He picked up his phone and called Mia.
She answered after a few rings, voice calm. "Hello?"
"Let's take a break," Alex said suddenly. "You and me. Just us."
Mia blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I booked a private resort in Maldives. We leave this weekend."
Mia hesitated. Her heart was still carrying the weight of Lisa's words. But Alex's voice sounded... distant. As if he was trying to escape something too.
"All right," she said finally. "Let's go."
Alex hung up and stared at the skyline.
He thought the ocean might clear his mind.
But deep down, he wasn't sure if he was running toward something...
...or away from someone.