Pride.

It was hard to breathe. The lie settled in like a heavy weight that couldn’t be ignored. There was an opportunity to accept what was given, but it was pushed aside. No explanation could justify it, and in the end, things were messed up. Everything was fine before—maybe not perfect, but good enough. Now, it’s too late, and there’s no turning back.

Moving forward seems to be the only option. There’s no use in drowning in regret. People were hurt—people who didn’t deserve to be—and that’s a tough truth to face. No one likes to be the cause of pain, and those on the receiving end felt it deeply.

So many things could have been done differently. A few choices were right, but not nearly enough. Instead of stubbornly resisting, trust could have been placed in the kindness that was offered. But being unreasonable got in the way, and now all that remains are the consequences of pushing away what could have been a way forward.