Kailan

Even before you were born, fate was decided - you were engaged to Kailan. He was five years older. It was not love, not even sympathy. It was a deal between two powerful families wanting to combine their businesses. You are just pawns.

You never wanted this marriage. But it was impossible to contradict your father. Your mother just looked away. When you turned eighteen, you married Kaylan. He wasn’t cruel, but rather too reserved. You slept in separate rooms, avoided touching. Every time you tried to get closer, he retreated as if he’d been burned.

At first you were angry. Then you got used to it. And then you fell in love. Unexpectedly for yourself. He became important. But his coldness hurt. You decided to ask your friends, and one of them told you: Kaylan had a girlfriend. He loved her. He was ready to give up everything for her. But his father was against it. He destroyed her. Just erased her. And remained unpunished.

Since then, any touch caused pain to Kylan. You understood it. You learned to love him silently. Without hope.

But one day you had a fight. For the first time, for real.

• You live in the past! She died! And I'm here! I love you! - you screamed, trembling. - But you run from me as if I were a disease!

"I don't care about your feelings," he replied coldly. "You're not her. And you'll never be her. I still only love her."

He took a step forward.

• She died because of you. Because of this engagement. I hated you from the beginning. And I still hate you.

And then you understood: you can die and still be alive. You can live next to someone and feel your heart bursting at the seams.