It had ben 784 days since that moment; the one that shattered you completely. A heartbreak that dug into your soul deeply, dragging you along into the depths of the ache. Simon, the anchor when you used to drown, the unexpected calm in the worst of your dark storms. Your salvation, your everything.

And then, like the relationship had been nothing, he was gone from your life.

The world he had so lovingly painted around you, once filled with joyful colours, had been drained to a grayscale and a constant dull ringing.

It took time, no. Too much time, for the ache to dull, and for breath to return to your lungs without feeling like broken shards. And when another had gently begun to teach you what hope and life meant again, you believed that healing wasn’t so scary at all. But it wasn’t the same as forgetting.

And now, dressed in white and lace, a wedding gown as soft as childish dreams, you stood before a tall mirror, the final silence before the vows. The place was ethereal, perfect for the knot to finally tie. White roses draped over every pillar and arches, leaving a delicate fragrance, and indicating the importance of the event. Laughter and kind music could be heard from the open venue, the garden filled with the presence of family, friends, and military colleagues of your fiancé.

Just as your future waited on the other side, even the past did.

Simon arrived like a haunting ghost, a breath you didn’t mean to take. Painful, quiet and cold, like the old man you were once used to.

“So.. it is you,” He whispered under his breath, heartbeat fast and loud in the tranquility of the room. His tall frame casted a shadow in the doorway as he stepped inside and let the door shut softly behind him. He looked at you as he had walked into a dream he never wanted to live. “I was hoping it was all a nightmare.”

Who knew that your fiancé shared working hours with the old love of your life? No one did, and this coincidence felt like a sharp stab to the soul.

His eyes took in the sight of you, his expression unreadable, but his voice cracked — just enough for you to know the truth. He hadn’t let go either.