Gone was the warmth that had always wrapped around me in this space. No music playing softly from his speakers.
The apartment felt… hollow.
I took a shaky step forward.
My eyes darted around, searching for something—anything—to tell me this was all a misunderstanding. Maybe a note. Maybe his jacket over the couch, waiting for him to return.
But the place was bare. His favorite coffee mug—the one I got him for our two years anniversary—was missing from the kitchen counter. The leather jacket he always left draped over the dining chair? Gone.
I stumbled toward his bedroom and flung open the closet. Empty.
Half of the hangers swayed slightly, as if taunting me. My breath hitched, and my knees buckled. "No. No, no, no".
"There's no world where I don't choose you, Sarah". I remembered his words and I felt cold. A sob tore from my throat.
I clenched my hands against my chest, my body shaking. This was his home. Our home. And he had erased himself from it. He erased me from his life?
I felt my legs weak again, this time I surrendered and fell on the ground,I laid down on the ground,curling myself, inhaling deeply, fighting to calm my heart beat.
Faint. His scent was still there, but fading. He left me behind , leaving us, he truly left. Tears slid silently down my face, dropping and soaking into the vintage shirt I wore.
How could someone love you so deeply one day and vanish the next? I wanted to believe he left a clue, something—anything—that would tell me this wasn't real. But all he left was silence. I'm no longer a part of his life,his future, the future where we'll be- together.
The cold from the tiled floor seeped through my clothes, but I couldn't move. My body felt frozen in place, my mind struggling to process the reality in front of me. Hector was gone. Not just gone– erased.
I squeezes my eyes shut, trying to steady my breath. This wasn't like him. Hector wasn't the kind of man to walk away without a word, without a reason.
The silence of his empty apartment pressed in on me. It felt unnatural, wrong. Just days ago,this place had been filled with warmth, with laughter and with him. And now… it was nothing. My finger tightened around my phone as I read the message again. "Sarah this is goodbye."
Still in shock, I stare at my phone. On impulse, I dialed Jasmine, my best friend. *Pick up,pick up" . Voicemail.
My hands trembling. I tried again but Jasmine still doesn't answer. Frustrated,I sent a message: " Hector is gone, I'm at his apartment. I don't understand what's happening." I barely have strength to stand so I sink to the floor,my mind racing.
That's when Jasmine calls back
"Jasmine" i said faintly. "Sarah? What do you mean he's gone?"she asked as immediately.I gripped my phone tightly. " Everything is empty. He left. This doesn't make sense."
A beat of silence. Then, Jasmine's sharp response "Stay there, I'm coming."
I forced myself to stand, brushing away the moisture gathering in my eyes. I wasn't going to break down here, not yet. There had to be something, some sign of what happened. I moved through the apartment, running my hands over the bare surfaces. Nothing.
The living room was thoroughly stripped clean. The bathroom– empty.
My stomach twisted as I entered the bathroom. The familiar scent of his aftershave still lingered in the air,faint but there. My fingers grazed the cool sink, a sharp contrast to the warmth I once felt here, when he'd stand beside me in the mornings, groggy and grumbling about work,Planting kisses all over my face. Everything can't be a lie, I tell myself .
A sharp knock on the door sent my heart lurching. I spun around, pulse hammering in my ears,who would come here now? Cautiously,I stepped back into the main room. The door was still slightly ajar from when I entered. Slowly I reached for the handle and pulled it open.
"Sarah?"
A rush of relief hit me as I saw the familiar face standing in the dimly lit alley.
"Jasmine", My voice came out shakier than I wanted. Leah frowned as she stepped inside, her eyes scanning the barren apartment. "Jesus. What happened here?" I shook my head. " I don't know. He's gone, Jasmine. He just… left. Her brows furrowed as she crossed her arms. "That doesn't make sense. Hector wouldn't do that."
Jasmine softened as she reached out and hugged me. I hugged her back- tightly. After a while ,we pulled out."Did he say anything?" I hesitated, then showed her the message. Her eyes widen as she read it. "This isn't like him",she murmured, echoing my thoughts. I swallowed hard, nodding. "And his neighbor said he moved out this morning. Some men came to pack his things, he Just…packed up and left." Jasmine fowned. "That fast?"
"Yeah. And he didn't tell me anything." My voice cracked. "Why wouldn't he tell me?
Jasmine glanced around the room again, her expression hardening. " Maybe because he didn't have a choice?. I raise my gaze at her. she continued " Why would he just leave with everything and not tell you?" I shivered. The words sent a chill down my spine. Something about this whole situation felt off. And deep down, I knew — This wasn't just a sudden decision. Something had forced Hector to leave.