But reality was different. Rico had chosen Jane. The dream Maddie clung to had shattered, leaving her grasping at memories that no longer felt real.
In her senior year of college, when Maddie’s biological parents finally found her, she made the difficult choice to stay by Rico’s side. She hadn’t told him about her family, fearing that her newfound completeness would only alienate him further. Maddie had sacrificed so much for Rico.
And what had she received in return?
Nothing but distance.
Rico had long since stepped out of the fragile bond they shared. Maddie was the only one left, trapped in a cage of her own making, guarding feelings that now felt like a lie.
She stared at her laptop screen, her chest tightening. With trembling fingers, she typed the title of her newest chapter: Leave.
***
After updating her novel, Maddie moved through the apartment like a ghost, packing her belongings. She placed her favorite clothes in a suitcase, then gathered the rest into large bags. Once her room was stripped of the little touches that made it hers, she sank onto the bed, exhausted.