I really have to go now.

Lily

Noah's touch was gentle, his warm hands cradling my face as he looked at me with pleading eyes. His office, a sanctuary of papers and books, suddenly felt too intimate, too suffocating, as I tried to muster the courage to speak the words that needed to be said.

"I... I need to go, Noah," I whispered, feeling the weight of my decision pressing down on me. His grip tightened ever so slightly, a silent plea for me to reconsider.

"No, Lily, please. Stay just a bit longer," he implored, his voice tinged with desperation. "We can talk things through, figure this out together."

I shook my head, my heart heavy with the knowledge that staying would only complicate matters further.

"I can't, Noah. You know I can't. It's already too much."

He sighed, his thumb brushing gently against my cheek. "But we need to sort this out. We can't just... let it end like this."

A pang of guilt stabbed at my chest as I looked into his eyes, so full of longing and regret. "I wish it could be different," I