𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙎𝙏𝙍𝙄𝙉𝙂𝙎, 𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩

𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣

Lou nods slowly. "You've always been too kind for your own good," she says with a slight smile.

"But I can't forget what happened between us... I don't know how to forgive you and move on." Tears roll down your cheeks as you stare at the woman you once loved, wondering how things ended up like this. "I feel so... stupid." 

Lou's expression softened, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You're not stupid, (y/n)," she said gently, her voice filled with empathy. "You trusted me, and I betrayed that trust. That's on me, not you."

You shook your head, feeling a mix of frustration and sadness swirling inside you. "I just can't believe I let myself get hurt like this," you admitted, your voice trembling with unbridled emotion. "I thought what we had was real, but now..."

Lou pushed herself to reach out toward you, her hand brushing against your cheek tenderly. "It was real, (y/n)," she insisted, her voice firm. "Despite everything that's happened, I never stopped loving you. You are the best thing that ever happened to me."

You felt a shiver run down your spine at Lou's touch, her words echoing in your mind like a bittersweet melody. Despite the pain and betrayal, her declaration of love stirred something profound within you, a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness. Tears continued to gather in your eyes as you gazed into Lou's earnest expression, seeing the raw vulnerability in her eyes. "Lou..." you choked out.

"I know I messed up, (y/n)," she softly begins. "But I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you... if you will let me."

Her words struck a chord deep within you, stirring a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Part of you wanted to pull away to protect yourself from further heartache. But another part of you longed to believe in the possibility of redemption, to embrace the love that still lingered between you. But instead of speaking on those feelings, you retracted yourself from Lou's touch. "I should go."

Lou's hand lingers in the air, where your cheek used to be. "Oka—"

"Take care of yourself, Lou."

————

Tears continued to stream down your cheeks, unchecked and unrestrained, as you made your way out of the hospital and into the cold embrace of the night. You wiped your nose and tried to contain yourself as you stood outside the hospital. Your hands fumbled into your coat pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. Rose would murder you if she knew, and so would Tammy, but you couldn't help it. Desperate times. Holding the cigarette between your lips, you light it, inhaling the warm and comforting smoke.

"I didn't know you smoked," a voice said from behind you. 

Of course, it was her... again. "I quit before I moved in with you. I started back up again when I was in prison."

Debbie's gaze softened, her expression filled with a mixture of concern and guilt. You have never seen her look so sincere in all the time you've known her. "I'm sorry, (y/n)," she said softly, stepping closer to you. "I didn't know..."

You shook your head, cutting her off with a bitter laugh. "You didn't know?" you repeated incredulously, feeling a surge of anger rising within you. "You didn't know that your little heist would land me in prison for a crime I didn't commit?" You stare at her before flicking the ash off the cigarette. "Or you didn't know I had a smoking problem?"

Debbie's eyes widened slightly in shock. "I never meant for any of this to happen," she insisted, her voice tinged with remorse. "I thought I had everything under control, but..."

"But you didn't," you snapped, your voice raising. "You left me to rot while you and everyone else ran off with millions! And now, after all this time, you have the nerve to show up here, criticizing me for not wanting to see my ex-fiancé who cheated on me? That's fuckin' rich!"