Elyra woke up to a sharp, stabbing pain in her chest. It wasn’t the usual dull ache that she had learned to live with—it was suffocating, pressing down on her lungs like an unbearable weight. She gasped for air, clutching the thin sheets beneath her as her vision swam.

The morning light seeped through the cracks in the window, casting a golden glow on the room that had never felt like home. The walls were lined with memories that were not hers—photos of her twin, the perfect child, the one who was loved.

A weak, broken laugh slipped from her lips.

If she died now, would they even notice?

She pushed herself up with trembling arms, but the effort sent another wave of nausea through her. The world spun violently, and before she could steady herself, the door burst open.

“What the hell are you doing?” Caleb’s voice was sharp, his eyes filled with frustration as he stormed toward her.

Elyra flinched, her body still weak from the sudden movement. “I was just trying to get up—”

“You look like you’re about to collapse,” he snapped, gripping her arm to steady her. “Are you trying to kill yourself?”

She forced a smile, though her body ached from the effort. “I don’t have to try, Caleb. It’s already happening.”

The words hit him harder than he expected.

He had spent the past few days pretending that if he ignored the truth, it wouldn’t hurt as much. But every time he looked at her, every time he saw how frail she had become, it felt like another piece of him was breaking.

“Sit down,” he muttered, lowering her back onto the bed.

She obeyed, too exhausted to argue. Her fingers traced the edge of the blanket as a silence settled between them, thick with unspoken words.

Then, suddenly, the door slammed open again.

Their mother stood at the entrance, her face twisted with irritation. “What’s taking so long? You’re supposed to be cleaning.”

Caleb’s jaw clenched.

Elyra, still breathless from the pain, didn’t bother to respond. She simply looked down, as if expecting this—accepting it.

Their mother’s eyes flickered with annoyance before landing on Caleb. “And you. Stop wasting time. I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately, but she’s not your responsibility.”

Something inside Caleb snapped.

“Not my responsibility?” His voice was dangerously low. He stood up, fists trembling at his sides. “You really don’t care, do you?”

Their mother scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. She’s never done anything but bring this family down.”

Elyra flinched.

Caleb’s hands curled into fists. “She’s dying.”

The words hung in the air like a death sentence.

Their mother’s expression flickered for a split second—something unreadable, something dangerously close to fear—but then it was gone, replaced by the same cold indifference she had always worn.

“Don’t be dramatic,” she said stiffly.

Caleb let out a bitter laugh. “Dramatic? She’s dying in front of you, and you don’t even care?”

His voice cracked at the last word, the anger in his chest twisting into something far worse—something raw and unbearable.

Elyra reached out, gripping his wrist weakly. “Caleb… don’t.”

But he wasn’t listening anymore.

He turned back to their mother, his vision burning with unshed tears. “You’ve hated her since the day her twin died. You blame her for something that wasn’t even her fault, and now you’re just waiting for her to disappear so you don’t have to deal with her anymore.”

Their mother’s face paled. “That’s not true.”

Caleb took a step closer. “Then prove it. Look at her. Look at what you’ve done to her.”

She didn’t.

She refused to.

Instead, she turned sharply on her heel, muttering, “I don’t have time for this.”

And just like that, she was gone.

The door slammed behind her, and the weight of the moment crashed down on Caleb like a tidal wave.

Elyra let out a shaky breath, her grip on his wrist tightening for just a second before she let go. “You shouldn’t have said that."

Caleb turned to her, his face still twisted with fury. “Why not?”

She gave him a tired smile, one filled with something far worse than sadness—acceptance. “Because it won’t change anything.”

Caleb stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest.

She had already given up.

She had been living in this nightmare for so long that she didn’t even believe in the possibility of escape.

He sank onto the bed beside her, burying his face in his hands. “I don’t want to lose you.”

She hesitated, then gently rested her head on his shoulder. “I was lost a long time ago.”

His throat tightened.

They sat there in silence, listening to the sound of the world moving on without them.

And for the first time, Caleb realized just how cruel time could be. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To Be Continued...