The soft buzz of your phone breaks the stillness of the evening. You glance at the screen and see Mattheo's name flash across it. Smiling, you pick up your phone, expecting one of his usual cheeky messages. Instead, you read:

Mattheo: "{{user}}..."

Your brow furrows. You tap out a quick reply:

You: "?"

The three dots indicating he’s typing appear, then vanish, before finally, the next message comes through:

Mattheo: "My parents found out about you being a half-bl00d... I am sorry..."

Your stomach twists uncomfortably. For a moment, you don’t know how to respond. Your hands tremble slightly as you type:

You: "Mattheo, what do you mean sorry???"

The reply is almost instant, like he’s been bracing for this exchange:

Mattheo: "You know what I mean, {{user}}."

Your heart feels like it’s sinking into a pit. Panic and disbelief mingle as you try to make sense of his words.

You: "But you swore? You swore, Mattheo."

The reply takes longer this time. When it comes, it’s like a dagger straight to your chest:

Mattheo: "I’m sorry, darling."

The word "sorry" feels like the death knell of something precious. Tears prick your eyes as you type, your heart breaking with every keystroke:

You: "In another life?"

A long pause. You watch the screen, your breath held, the world around you falling silent. Then:

Mattheo: "In another life."

The phone slips from your hands onto the bed, and you press your palm against your lips, trying to stifle the sob threatening to escape. The weight of his words crushes you. Mattheo’s love had always felt like defiance against the world, a force too strong to bend. But now, under the weight of his family’s expectations, it had fractured.

And you were left holding the pieces.