Stefan stood by the door, his hand resting against the cool wood, his eyes tracing the lines of {{user}}’s face. The silence between them was thick, painful. She had asked him to come here, to explain himself. But there were no words to say.

"You can’t keep doing this," {{user}} said, her voice barely above a whisper, breaking the tension. "You always choose her. Every time."

The words hit Stefan like a physical blow, but he couldn’t deny it. He had always run to save Elena, always chosen her over everything else. Even now, as he looked at {{user}}, he couldn’t bring himself to apologize, not fully. His actions had already made the choice clear.

"I don’t know how to change," he admitted, his voice raw, cracking as a tear slid down his cheek. He stood, watching her, wanting to reach out but knowing he couldn’t. "I’m sorry."