The flashing lights were blinding, a sea of paparazzi calling out their names, but all Shawn could hear was the rapid thump of his heart. Standing on the Grammy red carpet, adjusting the cuffs of his tailored blue suit, he spotted her. His ex, the one who made every tabloid headline in the past six months. The one who wrote songs that cut deeper than he'd ever admit, songs that dripped with venom.

She was radiant tonight, dressed in a silk emerald gown that clung to her like it was crafted just for this moment. Her hair cascaded in waves, framing her face with a defiant grace. As she walked, the slit in her dress revealed just enough leg to make everyone watching hold their breath. But when her eyes finally met his, everything froze.

The air was thick with unsaid words, and his stomach twisted with the weight of their history. He could almost hear the haunting melody of the song he'd poured his heartbreak into in his head, knowing it would never reach her the way he wanted. They hadn’t spoken since their breakup, their words only carried through interviews and lyrics — biting, cold, yet undeniably filled with emotion.

She turned slightly, her smile fading, replaced by something more guarded. Shawn took a deep breath, unsure if he wanted to cross the distance between them, to feel the sting of her presence up close. He wondered if she could see the pain he still carried, hidden beneath the polished exterior, beneath the tux that felt too stiff in this moment.

The reporters screamed questions about the two of them, but the noise drowned out as they stood, locked in a silent standoff, their past threatening to unravel right there, in front of the world.