UNCOMPLETE LOVE

Lena had always believed that love, once broken, could never be the same again. But as the days stretched into weeks, she found herself questioning that belief. Her relationship with Ethan was no longer a whirlwind of passion and reckless hope—it was something quieter, steadier. Yet, beneath the surface, a fragile balance remained, teetering between trust and fear.

She had promised herself she would try. And she was trying. But some nights, when the apartment was quiet, the echoes of her doubts whispered in the dark.

---

A Test of Trust

It was a crisp Saturday afternoon when Ethan suggested they go for a drive.

"Where are we going?" Lena asked as they pulled onto the highway, the city skyline shrinking behind them.

Ethan glanced at her with a teasing smile. "It's a surprise."

Lena raised an eyebrow but didn't press. He had been doing this a lot lately—taking her on spontaneous trips, creating new memories to overwrite the painful ones. And though a part of her resisted, another part—one she was still learning to trust—welcomed it.

They drove for over an hour, the conversation flowing easily between them. When Ethan finally pulled off the road, Lena gasped.

They were at the lake.

The very same lake where they had shared their first real moment of vulnerability, years ago. The place where he had once confessed his fears, and she had felt seen in a way she never had before.

Lena swallowed hard, her heart pounding. "Why here?"

Ethan turned off the engine and faced her. "Because this was where everything started. And I think it's where we need to start again."

For a long moment, Lena didn't respond. The lake shimmered under the afternoon sun, its surface calm, betraying none of the turbulence she felt inside.

Ethan reached for her hand. "I know you're still scared, Lena. And I don't expect that to just disappear overnight. But I need you to know something—I choose you. Every single day, I choose you. And I'm going to keep choosing you, no matter how hard it gets."

Lena's throat tightened. She wanted to believe him. She really did. But trust wasn't just about words—it was about time.

"How do you know?" she whispered. "How do you know you won't wake up one day and decide that I'm not enough?"

Ethan's eyes softened. "Because I already lost you once. And it was the worst thing I've ever been through. I won't make that mistake again."

Lena exhaled slowly, staring at their intertwined fingers. Maybe trust wasn't about certainty. Maybe it was about taking a leap, even when you weren't sure where you'd land.

---

A Ghost from the Past

Just as Lena was beginning to let her guard down, the past came knocking.

It was late one evening when she received the message. She was in her studio, working on a new painting, when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, her heart stopping cold.

Sarah: We need to talk. It's about Ethan.

Lena's fingers tightened around the phone. It had been months since Ethan had opened up about his past with Sarah—the toxic relationship, the mistakes, the heartbreak. He had promised her there was nothing left between them. So why was she reaching out now?

Lena hesitated before typing back.

Lena: What do you want?

Sarah's response came almost instantly.

Sarah: Meet me tomorrow. Coffee shop on 5th. Noon.

Lena stared at the message, her mind racing. She didn't owe Sarah anything. But curiosity—mixed with a lingering fear—compelled her to agree.

---

The Conversation That Changed Everything

The next day, Lena arrived at the coffee shop fifteen minutes early, her nerves stretched thin. She didn't tell Ethan she was coming. She didn't know why—maybe because she wanted to hear whatever Sarah had to say without bias.

When Sarah walked in, Lena was struck by how different she looked from the photos Ethan had shown her. There was a tiredness in her eyes, a weariness that made her seem older than she was.

"Lena," Sarah greeted, sliding into the seat across from her.

"Let's cut to the chase," Lena said, crossing her arms. "What do you want?"

Sarah sighed, stirring her coffee absentmindedly. "I'm not here to start drama, if that's