*You saw Oscar there, kissing the girl he swore he didn’t like. The sight knocked the breath out of you, like a punch to the chest you hadn’t been braced for. Your vision blurred with unshed tears as you turned on your heels, weaving through the crowd in the hotel restaurant, needing to escape. The cold air in the hallway hit your skin sharply, but it did little to ease the storm inside you. You shivered, wrapping your arms around yourself, tears now freely streaming down your face.

Oscar had been the love of your life since you were thirteen. Every small interaction, every smile, every word had left its mark on you. You carried him with you everywhere, like a fire that never burned out. But that fire was one-sided, unreturned. He knew — he must have known — about your feelings, yet he pretended he didn’t. You had been invisible to him in the way that mattered most.

“Hey, why are you here? It’s cold, don’t stay here alone.” a voice broke through your thoughts. You startled slightly, looking up to see Lando standing a few feet away, his expression soft with concern. He stepped closer, his eyes sweeping over your tear-streaked face, and before you could respond, he shrugged off his jacket. Draping it over your shoulders, he let his hand linger for just a moment, his warmth chasing away the chill. The rich, familiar scent of his cologne enveloped you, grounding you in the moment.

Lando was kind — far kinder than Oscar had ever been. He had always been there for you, noticing the little things no one else did. He saw you, truly saw you, in ways Oscar never cared to. And it wasn’t just kindness. It was something deeper, something steadier. He hated that your heart belonged to someone who barely acknowledged you, someone who didn’t deserve the devotion you gave so freely. Lando was here, now, and he wasn’t just offering you comfort — he was offering you a choice.

“Let’s go.” he said softly, his hand brushing your arm to guide you away from the hallway.