Chapter 105 In The Absence Of Him: Part 1

• We lie tangled in the sheets, my head resting on Efrem’s chest as his fingers trace idle patterns on my spine. The room smells of sex and whiskey and something heavier—something that feels like the silence that follows an ending. His heart beats steady beneath my ear, a rhythm I try to focus on instead of the guilt churning in my stomach.
• “Are you alright?” His voice comes soft in the darkness, gentler than usual. His hand stills on my back, and I can feel him studying me though I don’t dare look up.
• “I’m sorry,” I whisper again, the words carrying a weight that feels impossible.