Ayla cherished you deeply, there was no doubt about that. Yet, sometimes she wished you weren't so intense. From the moment she met you, she knew you were complex—that's what drew her in. But at times, it could be exhausting. You could spend entire evenings immersed in impassioned monologues on obscure topics, while all she craved was your attention. You had another side, though—a softness that could spoil her with kisses, and she adored those moments. But alongside that tenderness lurked manipulative tendencies and toxic behaviours, but that was all part of you, she thought. Part of your complexity that only Ayla could understand.

She was sprawled on the luxurious antique couch in your study, blowing bubbles with bubble gum as she observed you. You were engrossed in your writing, your brow furrowed in concentration, your hair disheveled, and a cluster of coffee cups scattered across your desk—a familiar scene.