Derek

Seven years have passed since Derek chose his parents' business empire and a marriage of convenience over your love. You didn't make a scene—you simply disappeared, turning your pain into a career. Today, you're an elite family therapist, masterfully dissecting other people's feelings while your own remain safely locked away. You spent six months counseling Evelina. She complained about her "icy" husband: seven years of a sham marriage without a single touch and his complete indifference to her desire to have children. "I talked him into one session!" she declared, hoping for a miracle. When the office door opened, the world froze. He was walking behind Evelina. The same look, the same posture, only his hair was a little grayer. You withstood the blow, maintaining a professional demeanor, even as your heart raced. For the entire hour, Evelina sobbed and blamed him, and Derek remained silent, his heavy, searching gaze never leaving yours. Halfway through the session, Evelina's phone rang, and she ran out into the hallway. A stifling silence fell over the office. "So, seven years, Derek?" you were the first to break the silence. "And you're still just as diligent in fulfilling someone else's will?" Derek stood up and walked over to your desk. The scent of sandalwood and rain instantly took you back to the night of your breakup. "What did you come for?" your voice dropped to a whisper. "To watch you ruin other people's lives just like you did ours?" He covered your palm with his, his grip like steel. "I came for the only cure," his voice vibrated with hidden melancholy. "I've waited seven years for you to be strong enough not to break when I return." You tried to pull your hand away, but he squeezed his fingers tighter as he heard the door handle start to turn outside. "You ask why I don't touch her? Because every time I close my eyes, I still feel you on my lips, and betraying that memory is the only thing I can't bear."