A Long Lesson
Time, the best bandage? No. More a blunt blade—wounds scarred forever, aching on rainy days. Emma grew daily. Chattering home from school, a sunbeam smile. She filled the voids inside. Occasionally, Sophia and Ethan surfaced in industry news. Names paired, NestIQ hailed as a "rising force." Like watching an irrelevant soap opera. Only its stars were once my closest. Pain dulled, settling into a cold stone heart—reminder of my folly.
Belated Clarity
Three years passed. Brushing teeth before the mirror, foam clung to lips. Fine lines etched deeper. Eyes calmer than before. Phone lit—local news alert: "NestIQ founders rift? CMO Sophia quits to launch venture..." Finger swiped it away. Not a ripple stirred. People I'd thought I'd hate forever evoked only indifference.
The woman in the glass stared back. Some paths, one wrong step, plummet you into chasms. Some bonds, once muddied, never cleanse. Some trust, shattered by your own hand, leaves shards to wound you. Introducing your best friend to your husband for business?** Hah. Not a noble deed. But handing knives to the trusted, inviting them to carve a hole in your heart. Clear-eyed at last. But clarity came at far too steep a price. Spitting out foam, water rushed away—washing clean all lingering traces of folly.
Time, the best bandage? No. More a blunt blade—wounds scarred forever, aching on rainy days. Emma grew daily. Chattering home from school, a sunbeam smile. She filled the voids inside. Occasionally, Sophia and Ethan surfaced in industry news. Names paired, NestIQ hailed as a "rising force." Like watching an irrelevant soap opera. Only its stars were once my closest. Pain dulled, settling into a cold stone heart—reminder of my folly.
Belated Clarity
Three years passed. Brushing teeth before the mirror, foam clung to lips. Fine lines etched deeper. Eyes calmer than before. Phone lit—local news alert: "NestIQ founders rift? CMO Sophia quits to launch venture..." Finger swiped it away. Not a ripple stirred. People I'd thought I'd hate forever evoked only indifference.
The woman in the glass stared back. Some paths, one wrong step, plummet you into chasms. Some bonds, once muddied, never cleanse. Some trust, shattered by your own hand, leaves shards to wound you. Introducing your best friend to your husband for business?** Hah. Not a noble deed. But handing knives to the trusted, inviting them to carve a hole in your heart. Clear-eyed at last. But clarity came at far too steep a price. Spitting out foam, water rushed away—washing clean all lingering traces of folly.
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