The sound of the train grew louder.
Elara's heart pounded so hard it hurt.
For three years, she had imagined this moment. She had replayed it in her mind in a thousand different ways. She imagined him stepping out, smiling, apologizing, holding her again.
But now that it was real…
She couldn't breathe.
The train finally arrived with a long, tired screech. The doors opened slowly, like they were hesitating.
Her fingers tightened around her phone.
Her eyes searched desperately.
One by one, people stepped out.
An old man.
A young couple.
A tired woman holding a sleeping child.
But not him.
Her heart cracked a little.
Maybe… he was still inside.
Maybe he was waiting.
Maybe he wanted to surprise her.
She took a step forward.
Then another.
Her legs felt weak.
She reached the train door and looked inside.
Empty.
Completely empty.
Her chest tightened.
"No…" she whispered.
Her voice broke.
Her eyes filled with tears as the truth slowly sank in.
He wasn't there.
The train doors began to close again.
And with them, her hope.
Suddenly—
"Excuse me… are you Elara?"
Her body froze.
The voice came from behind her.
Slowly, painfully slowly, she turned around.
A stranger stood there.
A man in his late twenties. His eyes were tired. Sad.
He held something in his hand.
A phone.
No.
Not just any phone.
His phone.
Adrian's phone.
Elara's breath stopped.
"H-how do you have that…?" she whispered.
The man hesitated.
For a moment, he looked like he didn't want to answer.
Like he was afraid.
"I promised him," the man said quietly.
"I promised him I would give this to you… if he couldn't."
The world around her went silent.
Her ears rang.
Her heart screamed.
"What do you mean… if he couldn't?" she asked, her voice shaking.
The man looked down.
Then back at her.
His eyes filled with something she had never seen before.
Guilt.
Pain.
"I'm sorry," he said.
Those two words destroyed her.
"He waited," the man continued.
"He waited until his last moment."
Her vision blurred.
Her hands trembled.
"No…" she whispered.
"He loved you," the man said.
"He never stopped."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
Then another.
And another.
"He wanted to come back," the man said softly.
"He tried."
Elara's legs gave up.
She fell to her knees.
Three years.
Three years of waiting.
Three years of believing.
And now…
She realized something far worse than being forgotten.
He didn't leave her.
He was taken from her.
And yet…
He still kept his promise.
Because even now…
He found a way to return.