Landing Before Dawn

She wasn't fully lying. Michelle truly longed to reunite with her biological mother and never see Parker again.

Parker let out a faint chuckle but still coaxed her patiently, "Don't cry, my love. Seeing you cry breaks my heart."

Before Michelle could respond, the apartment's door suddenly swung open. A figure darted in and threw itself before them, "Michelle! Parker! I had a fight with Mom and Dad. Can I stay over tonight?" Janet's wide eyes brimmed with tears as she pouted pitifully.

The warmth that had just barely returned to Michelle's heart froze again. Her mind swirled with the images of the photos Janet had sent earlier.

Beside her, Parker's body went rigid and his face clouded with irritation, "No, you can't."

Janet's expression fell instantly and she turned her pleading gaze toward Michelle, "Sis, would you really let me sleep on the streets?"

Parker shielded Michelle, his brow furrowing deeply, "Don't guilt-trip your sister! Janet, what nonsense are you trying to pull now? You can leave, right this minute! This house doesn't welcome you!" He had once sworn that this home would bear traces of only one woman, Michelle.

Janet's face showed disappointment as her teary almond eyes darted toward Michelle, harboring a subtle hint of menace, "Michelle, if Mom and Dad find out you didn't let me stay, they'll come after you again. You wouldn't want to upset them, would you?"

Michelle moved Parker aside and replied evenly, "You can stay."

Janet's face lit up with glee, but it quickly froze as Michelle added, "There's just one correction I'd like to make. They're your parents, not mine."

The unnatural calm in her tone unsettled Parker. For the first time, he sensed that she had changed. She began to care less about the relationship between her and her adoptive parents and even ... she cared less about him.

That night, as they lay in bed, Parker instinctively leaned in to kiss Michelle, but she avoided him.

His panic flared instantly, reddening his eyes. Holding her tightly, he rasped, "Honey, did I upset you? Was it because we didn't take the wedding photos today?"

Michelle broke free from his hold, her gaze unwavering as she suddenly smiled, "Parker, my friend got cheated on. She found out her fiancé was sleeping with another woman. What do you think she should do?"

Parker frowned, "So you've been bothered about your friend's issue lately?"

"Yes," she said casually.

Parker heaved a sigh of relief, "What's there to think about? Why would any woman be foolish enough to marry a cheating man? She should break up with him right away! Once unfaithful, he's forever untrustworthy. Isn't that common sense?"

"Break up?" Michelle's heart clenched. "But they've been together for so many years. Is it really worth it to just end it?"

Parker shrugged, "It depends on your friend's awareness. Realizing the truth about someone after a few years is worth it."

"Mm," she responded.

Taking ten years to see someone for who they truly are was better than wasting a lifetime. Parker, these were your own words. Once unfaithful, forever untrustworthy.

In the dead of night, Michelle awoke with a start, only to realize she had noise-canceling headphones on. But they didn't block out the sound coming from downstairs.

Under the faint glow of the dim light, two familiar figures writhed together, lost in their own world.

The creaking of the bedframe echoed sharply in her ears, each sound cutting into her heart.