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Chapter 10: The Storm Left Behind

Author: Nailynn
last update Last Updated: 2025-06-05 12:44:36
CLAIRE

The church was too quiet.

Not peaceful, just heavy. The kind of quiet that settles in your chest and presses down. My heels struck the stone floor, each step too sharp, too loud. Like I didn’t belong here anymore.

Everyone was gone. The guests, the whispers, the soft apologies had all faded, leaving behind something colder than silence.

Mark and I told them together. We stood side by side, saying just enough. There wouldn’t be a wedding. They could go home. We were sorry.

Some hugged me. Some just stared.

I kept walking. One step, then another, like movement might keep me from coming apart. But with every step, the weight of it sank deeper. Like the day had settled into my bones.

My chest hurt just trying to breathe. Like even that was too much. Short, uneven pulls of air that didn’t go deep enough. I kept walking anyway. I had to. Sofie had to be here. She had to be somewhere.

But the room was empty.

Her phone was still there. Her wallet. Both sitting on the vanity like she’d o
Nailynn

Thank you for reading! Out of all the stories calling your name, you followed mine. Thanks for giving it a chance. This may be fiction, but your presence is very real to me. Please comment and share. Your support helps, and your words do more than brighten my day; they remind me why I write.

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