As soon as I stepped outside the villa, the atmosphere felt like a chilling nightmare. The man I yearned for, Hector, was surrounded by soldiers, passionately engaged in a kiss with a woman I'd never laid eyes on before. The raucous cheers and whistles pierced my heart like sharp needles. My joy turned into a bitter mix of disappointment and fury, yet I found myself moving forward despite the heavy weight of each step, as if walking through treacherous quicksand. The crowd's attention shifted towards me, gradually silencing, as if someone had hit pause on their volume. Hector and his enigmatic companion remained oblivious to the sudden hush until they finally sensed the eerie quiet. Pulling away from each other, Hector's gaze met mine, fear briefly flashing across his face before he hastily concealed it. He held Vanessa's hand and approached, introducing us. "Elena, this is Vanessa. She's—" But before he could complete his sentence, Vanessa presented a confident smile and extended her hand. "Hello, I'm Vanessa, Hector's partner. Our love story began on the battlefield," she said, her voice warm and assertive.
