„But nothing can compare to the pain I felt when I saw you in love with him."

~•~

Haydée remained seated on the floor even after Hugo returned to the living room. Something in his expression suggested that he still hadn't been able to leave. Although he had packed and it seemed that the heavy conversation had ended, there was something unspoken, something that both of them knew needed to be said before their shared path ended definitively.

Hugo stood in front of her and stared at her for a long time. In his eyes was a visible mixture of pain and confusion, reflected on his face. Finally, as if he could no longer remain silent, he sighed and spoke.

"Have you ever loved me?" he asked, his voice filled with desperation and resignation. Haydée looked at him, her lips trembling, ready to answer, but Hugo stopped her before she could say a single word. "You know what, don't say anything; we all know the answer."

Haydée felt tears streaming down her face again. She wanted to tell him that yes, she had loved him, but what would be the point now? Maybe she had loved him once, but that love had faded, lost its strength as their relationship slowly crumbled. And now, as they stood on the threshold of the end, she knew that no words would change anything.

It hurt her to see him like this. This was exactly what she had tried to avoid. This was precisely why she had ignored Arthur's words and tried to keep her and Hugo's relationship afloat. That flame had gone out. She had literally poured several liters of water on it herself. The flame was extinguished, and it didn't look like they would be able to rekindle it together. That flame, which bore both their names, had burned out and would never burn again. It was over.

Hugo looked at her with pain etched on his face. He knew this was the end, but still, the last wave of desperation rose within him. "Can I convince you to stay?" he asked softly, his voice trembling. There was a longing, hope, but also the realization that the answer he would get wouldn't be what he wished for. He truly loved the girl and wanted to stay with her. Haydée was the most amazing girl he had ever known, and he knew it would be hard to find someone even remotely like her. But amidst all this, he realized that she wouldn't stay with him because he had ignored her. He was very aware, and it pained him to admit it, that he was the biggest problem in their relationship, but he didn't want to acknowledge it.

Haydée closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands, as if it could ease the pain she felt. She didn't want to hurt him, but she also knew that if she stayed, she would be lying to both him and herself. If she tried to piece their relationship back together, it would just be a continuation of a game neither of them wanted to play.

"Hugo, I can't," she finally whispered with a broken voice. "Not like this." It wasn't the best decision for her, but it was definitely the best decision for him. He definitely didn't want to be with someone as complicated as she was. Her life had turned 180 degrees in a single day—the day she went to the hospital to see her father and saw Arthur again after a long time. If she had just accepted the role of an adult that day and told her father she wouldn't go to the race, she would still be with Hugo today, and no Arthur would occupy her mind.

Hugo closed his eyes and bowed his head, as if expecting exactly this answer, but it still struck him. "So, was it all just a game to you?" he suddenly asked, his voice sharper than before. "Did you even care about me?" Haydée knew very well that he would start asking such questions. No man wants to admit that he might be partly to blame for their relationship falling apart. She knew he would try to shift the blame onto her. He would try to make her feel like she would be in depression for weeks after he left, just because she would blame herself for their breakup.

Haydée looked at him with tear-filled eyes. "It was never a game, Hugo, never. Of course, I always cared for you with love," she replied, her voice faltering. "It's just... love sometimes isn't enough."

Hugo took a deep breath, his face set, but pain burned in his eyes. "You know, it hurt when I realized that you are not in love with me," he said, his voice now sounding harsher. "But nothing can compare to the pain I felt when I saw you in love with him."

Those words hit Haydée like a blow. She knew that Hugo had seen something she had long denied. Arthur, their friendship, their kiss—everything was too complicated to simply explain. But Hugo was right. What he had seen was real, and although she didn't want to admit it, she couldn't deny that there was something more between her and Arthur.

"I... I didn't want it," she finally whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I never wanted it to end up like this."

Hugo stared at her in silence for a moment, then rubbed his face with his hand as if trying to wipe away the weight that surrounded him. "But it happened," he said finally with a bitter smile. "And we both know that this is no longer just about the two of us."

Haydée felt like she was in a dream she couldn't wake up from. She knew Hugo was right. It hadn't been just about the two of them for a long time; their relationship had been maintained for a long time based on memories that had lost their weight. They had stayed together because of what they once had, but what they once had was gone.

Hugo straightened up again and looked at her with a pained expression. "You know, sometimes I wish you loved me the way you love him," he said quietly. "But I know that won't happen."

"Hugo," Haydée began, her voice full of regret and lost hope, but she didn't know how to finish the sentence. She wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault, that she had tried, but now, as they faced the truth, she couldn't find the right words.

"I know," Hugo said, his gaze becoming resigned. "We were just two people trying to hold on to something that had long since ended."

Haydée looked at him, and for a moment, it seemed like maybe they could have been happy. Maybe if things had unfolded differently. Maybe if Arthur hadn't existed. Maybe if she hadn't lost the passion she once felt. But "maybe" was already too late. The reality was clear and unforgiving.

Hugo sighed and stepped closer, this time with a gentler expression. "I think we both know it's time to move on," he said quietly. "Not because we don't care about each other, but because we both deserve something more."

Haydée nodded, though tears were still welling up. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice broken but sincere. "I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know," Hugo said. "But sometimes love isn't enough."

They stood there facing each other, two wounded souls trying to find their way out of pain. Both knew their paths had diverged, but they also knew it was the best thing they could do for themselves.

Hugo looked at her in silence for a moment, as if trying to imprint every detail of her face into his memory. Then, without saying anything more, he stepped closer and gently embraced her. It was a firm, warm, but also sad and final touch. Haydée felt his arms around her, and although she wanted to fight the surge of emotions that the moment stirred up in her, she couldn't hold back the tears.

"I'll miss you," Hugo whispered softly, holding her close and kissing her on the forehead. It was a tender, comforting kiss, like a final gesture, a last attempt at goodbye.

Haydée felt her body tremble with new sobs as she allowed herself to be embraced. She wished that this moment would never come, that it was all just a bad dream from which she would wake up. But this was reality—harsh and unforgiving.

Hugo released her and gently grasped her shoulders so he could look into her eyes. His gaze was sad but resigned. "Good luck, Hy," he said quietly, but his voice was firm. "In everything. In school, in life... and with Arthur."

At those last words, her heart tightened again, as if reminding her of something she had tried to ignore. Hugo had long known that there was something more between her and Arthur, and now that he had finally spoken it, it sounded like the final confirmation of what had been obvious all along. There was no reproach in his voice, just a quiet acceptance of what was inevitable.

"Thank you," Haydée whispered, tears still streaming down her face. She felt empty, exhausted, as if those brief words had taken away the last of her strength.

Hugo smiled at her one last time. It was a sad smile, full of pain but also a kind of inner peace. "You deserve to be happy," he added quietly. "Just not with me."

Haydée nodded, even though everything inside her was in turmoil. She wanted to say something, something that might change the moment, but she knew it was too late. That all the words that could be said were pointless. Hugo was right. They both deserved something better, even if it meant their paths had to part.

He looked at her one last time, his hand lingering on her shoulder for a moment, and then he slowly stepped back. His steps were heavy, as if he was leaving with every piece of hope that remained between them. He turned, grabbed his bag, and headed for the door.

Haydée watched as Hugo opened the door and walked away. His figure disappeared in the doorway, and soon there was a soft click. The door closed, symbolically closing the chapter of their relationship.

As the door finally clicked shut behind Hugo, the feeling of emptiness within her deepened. Haydée stood there in the middle of the living room, lost and broken. Her heart pounded in her chest, her body shook with uncontrollable sobs that escaped her throat, even though she tried to suppress them.

She bent down and slowly sank back to the floor where she had been sitting earlier. This time, she didn't have the strength to continue fighting her emotions. Tears streamed down her face in an endless flow, and her body trembled under the weight of everything she had just experienced. All the years spent with Hugo, all the shared moments, hopes, and dreams—they were all gone. They had been together for three years, much of which had been spent in a relationship that had long since fallen apart, but only now had they both fully realized it.

Her sobs were loud, painful, and filled with regret. She had loved Hugo, truly loved him once, but now it was different. She knew he deserved someone who would truly love him the way he deserved. And she... perhaps she had never been able to give him everything he deserved because her heart belonged to someone else, even if she didn't want to admit it.

Memories of their first year together, when everything was easy and full of love, now haunted her. She saw their shared evenings, laughing together, planning the future, and she believed they were inseparable. But somewhere along the way, something had changed. Whether it was due to Hugo's work, her own insecurities, or Arthur's constant presence, their relationship had deteriorated until only an empty shell remained.

"Why?" she whispered into the empty room, even though she knew no answer would come. "Why did it have to end this way?"

But there was no answer. Maybe it wasn't about anything specific. Maybe it was just a matter of time before they both realized they couldn't be happy together anymore. Maybe it was Arthur, whose love, though unspoken, was always somewhere between them.

Haydée trembled again in another bout of sobs. She felt abandoned, even though the decision had been inevitable. She wanted to end it, but now that it had happened, everything seemed unbearably heavy. She tried to focus on what Hugo had said—that she deserved to be happy. But how could she be happy when she had just lost the person who had spent three years of her life with her?

She sat there on the floor, her body exhausted from crying, and wondered what would come next. What now that Hugo was no longer a part of her life? She was at a crossroads, and although she knew that life would bring new opportunities, new challenges, and perhaps even new love, this moment was filled with sadness and loss.

There was no way back.

~•~