Chapter 49: I want to leave

Louis shattered the stillness, his whisper slicing through the gloom, "I love you, Viv. Beyond anything else." His tone, a tender stroke, acted as a balm to the storm of sentiments raging within Vivian. Silence was her response, her heartbeat a drumbeat of confusion, as she navigated through her maelstrom of apprehensions and longing. Her memory of their shared past was a blank slate.

In a surge of impulsivity, Vivian cast aside the pillow, her action louder than any spoken word. The chasm between them closed as Louis encircled her in his embrace, pulling her to him. Vivian sought refuge in his arms, her head against his chest, attuned to the consistent beat of his heart. Tears cascaded down her cheeks, the reason for her weeping unclear, possibly the purest expression of her soul.

Louis's hand gently swept across Vivian's back. "Life without you is unimaginable," he murmured, his breath a warm caress on her nape.

Elevating her gaze to his, the anguish in his look, the unfiltered sinc