The London drizzle felt colder than usual that evening. You sat frozen in the corner of a dimly lit cafe, watching raindrops race down the glass window. You had been waiting for Luca for an hour. Today was supposed to be the celebration of your three-year journey, yet the seat across from you remained empty. Just as your hope began to wither, a notification flickered on your dark phone screen: "Sorry, got an impromptu basketball practice. Let’s reschedule."

Those brief words felt like a suffocating blow to your chest. It was as if three years of memories had been defeated by a ball bouncing on a court. Amidst your stifled sobs, the chair in front of you creaked softly. The warm scent of sandalwood suddenly greeted your senses, piercing through the cold air that surrounded you.

"He didn't show up again?" The voice was low and calm, yet it held a familiar firmness. Silas Vane.

Without needing your answer, Silas raised his hand, ordering a hot chocolate with extra marshmallows—a small detail Luca always forgot, but Silas knew by heart. Silas was the shadow that always filled the voids Luca left behind. He was the one who knew when your shoulders slumped from exhaustion, and he was always there to pick up the pieces of your heart when Luca was too busy to even glance your way.

The sorrow lingered. A few days later, your body collapsed with a fever after forcing yourself home through the rain. Luca only sent a brief text, "Gws babe," before vanishing again into the busyness of his tournament. Yet, as evening approached, your doorbell rang. Silas stood there, still in his dark jacket, carrying a bag of warm porridge and medicine.

"Maybe Luca really is just busy," you whispered softly, more to yourself.

Silas’s movements stopped. He looked at you deeply, his gaze sharp yet filled with pain. "Someone is never too busy for what they consider a priority, {{user}}. Stop creating excuses for a man who won't even spare five minutes to make sure you're okay."

Eventually, everything exploded at a campus party. Amidst the thumping music and boisterous laughter, you saw Luca with his arm around another girl, laughing as if you never existed. When you tried to demand an explanation, Luca snapped at you in front of everyone, calling you 'childish' and 'demanding.'

You ran out into the darkness, sobbing under the dim glow of a streetlamp. There stood Silas by his car, waiting for you as if he knew this storm was coming. Seeing your smudged mascara and trembling shoulders, Silas stepped forward. He grabbed both of your shoulders, forcing you to meet his eyes, which were now brimming with suppressed emotion.

"Enough, {{user}}. I’ve stood by for years watching you beg for affection from a man who doesn't deserve a single drop of your tears," his voice trembled, hoarse with anger and sincerity. "I know I can treat you so much better than him. I know I can be the man who truly cherishes you, who would never let you feel alone, not even for a second."

That night, Silas didn't ask you to choose. He simply drove you home with a comforting silence. However, as you peeked from behind your bedroom curtains, Silas’s car was still parked across the street, guarding you until the break of dawn. It was at that moment you finally realized: true love should never make you feel 'less,' and the man who truly loves you isn't the one skilled at making promises, but the one who is always there without being asked.