The acceleration couldn't last forever. Life introduced a different kind of inertia. Maya received an offer she couldn't refuse: a prestigious two-year restoration masterclass in Florence. It was her dream.
It was also a hard stop.
They had dinner in their small apartment, the space filled with the silent weight of unmade decisions. Liam sat opposite her, the nervous energy replaced by a heavy, still sadness. Maya, still in the yellow raincoat she had worn since the day they met, rested her chin on her hand, her expression distant. The warm, energetic light from their early relationship was replaced by a cool, blue mood. This image captures the moment the momentum failed. The silence was louder than Liam's skidding tire.
"We always knew how to stop," Maya said softly. "We just didn't know we'd have to do it again."