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A few minutes of heavy silence lingered. With hesitation, I parted my lips. "O-Okay," I nodded.

He sighed, affirming his decision, and gradually retreated from me until he left the room. I lost track of time as I stared at nowhere. When I finally blinked, the dampness on my cheeks revealed the silent tears.

Swiftly, I wiped them away. What should I do? I contemplated for a few moments, then reached for my phone.

Anxiety tightened its grip on me, prompting the need to find someone to talk to instead of surrendering to a breakdown. I refused to let weakness take over. Given the challenges I've faced, heartbreak felt like nothing more than a fleeting mosquito bite.

"Hello? How are you? Are you okay?" Rachelle bombarded me with questions.

I hadn't spoken to her since the incident. My life was a whirlwind of events. Kidnapped, and now Ivan was informing me about the impending annulment.

I cleared my throat, gazing up at the expansive sky before uttering, "Ivan is ending things with m