As Elijah’s freshly spoken words echo hauntingly around me like a ghostly whisper, my soul withers and dissipates while I crumble within. Shrinking beneath his gaze, I notice the room dims into an unpleasant glow while a gathering of stormy clouds nestles menacingly outside. Looming vastly over the city, the gloomy blanket chases the sun away before allowing a gentle patter of falling rain to collide against the windowpane. Staring back at my waiting mate, it feels as if the world has come to a standstill—frozen in time as I’m left blindsided by his admittance. Unsure of what to say, all that I can manage is that of an unprompted whimper when an unbearable ripple of sharp pain spreads across my chest. Wincing reactively, the sensation swells beneath my ribcage; tightening around my heart a
