"Sometimes the past clings to us like shadows, refusing to let go, reminding us of who we were, and challenging us to become who we can be."

As they stepped out into the cool night air, the atmosphere between them shifted. The tension that had lingered in the ballroom seemed to dissipate in the quiet of the evening.

Henry cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "I hope you don't mind me suggesting this," he began, his voice softer than before.

Violet glanced at him, surprised by his sudden change in tone. "Not at all," she replied, offering him a small smile. "It's actually quite nice out here."

They walked in silence for a moment, the only sound being the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. Then, Henry spoke again, his voice hesitant. "I wanted to apologize," he said, his gaze fixed on the ground ahead. "For the way I've been acting towards you. It wasn't fair of me to treat you the way I did."

Violet stopped walking, turning to face him. "Apology accepted," she said softly, a hint of warmth in her voice. "But may I ask why the sudden change of heart?"

Henry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I suppose I realized that I was being... petty," he admitted, meeting her gaze. "And that you didn't deserve it."

Violet smiled, touched by his honesty. "Well, thank you," she said, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "I appreciate it."

They continued their stroll, the air between them lighter now. And as they walked, Violet couldn't help but feel a newfound sense of camaraderie with Henry, a feeling she hadn't expected to find in someone she had once considered an adversary.

By the time they returned to the ballroom, Violet felt as though she had gained a newfound understanding of Henry.

As Elizabeth approached, a sense of recognition flickered in Violet's eyes. She remembered the woman she had bumped into earlier that morning, the one she had accidentally spilled coffee on. But little did she know, this woman held a deeper significance in Henry's life. 

Henry's expression remained stoic as Elizabeth drew closer, his past colliding with his present in a way he hadn't anticipated. He watched silently as Violet exchanged greetings with Elizabeth, oblivious to the connection between them.

Violet couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue as she observed the interaction between Henry and Elizabeth. There was something in the air, a tension that hinted at a history between them, a history that Henry had kept hidden from the rest of the world.

As Violet exchanged pleasantries with Elizabeth, she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for their earlier encounter. "I had no idea you were a lawyer too," she admitted, offering a polite smile.

Elizabeth returned the smile, though there was a glint of something in her eyes, something that Violet couldn't quite place. "Yes, I've been practicing for quite some time now," she replied, her tone tinged with a hint of mystery.

Henry, on the other hand, remained silent, his gaze fixed on Elizabeth with a mix of emotions swirling in his eyes. Violet noticed the subtle shift in his demeanor, the tension that seemed to radiate from him like a palpable force.

Despite the awkwardness of the situation, Violet pressed on, determined to maintain a sense of composure. "Well, it's a small world, isn't it?" she remarked, trying to diffuse the tension with light banter.

As Violet and Elizabeth engaged in conversation, Henry felt a surge of emotions welling up inside him. Memories of his past with Elizabeth came rushing back with a force that caught him off guard. Without a word, he turned on his heel and made a swift exit from the event, leaving Violet standing there, bewildered and confused.

For a moment, Violet was rooted to the spot, her mind reeling from the sudden turn of events. She watched Henry's retreating figure with a mixture of concern and curiosity, unsure of what had just transpired. Was it something she said? 

As the reality of the situation sank in, Violet felt a wave of disappointment wash over her. She had been enjoying their conversation, relishing the opportunity to connect with Henry on a deeper level. But now, it seemed that chance had slipped through her fingers, leaving her with more questions than answers.

With a heavy sigh, Violet turned her attention back to Elizabeth, though her mind was still consumed by thoughts of Henry. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his sudden departure than he was letting on.

[Henry]

As Henry stormed away from the event, his heart weighed heavy with a mix of emotions. Anger boiled within him, fueled by the sudden flood of memories and emotions that Elizabeth's presence had stirred up. Frustration gnawed at him, knowing that he couldn't escape the past no matter how hard he tried. And beneath it all, a profound sadness lingered, a deep ache that he had long tried to bury.

With each step he took, Henry's mind raced, replaying the painful moments of his past like a relentless tormentor. The hurt of betrayal, the sting of rejection – they all came rushing back with a vengeance, threatening to overwhelm him once more. He couldn't bear to be in that room a moment longer, surrounded by reminders of a life he had desperately tried to forget.

As he reached the solitude of the night air, Henry's pace slowed, but the turmoil within him only intensified. He found himself grappling with conflicting emotions, torn between the desire to confront his past and the instinct to run from it. But deep down, he knew that he couldn't outrun his demons forever.

With a heavy heart, Henry pressed on, each step a painful reminder of the scars that still lingered beneath the surface. And as he disappeared into the night, the weight of his past hung heavy around him, a burden that he carried alone.

As Henry retreated into the night, a sense of disappointment gnawed at him, a feeling of frustration at his own inability to move on from the past. Despite his best efforts to bury the pain, it still lingered, a constant reminder of the wounds that refused to heal.

In the silence of the night, Henry was forced to confront the harsh reality of his own vulnerability, to acknowledge that healing wasn't always a linear journey. And as he wrestled with his demons, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow letting himself down, that he should be stronger, braver, better able to face the pain that still lingered within him.

Henry's phone buzzed in his pocket, the screen lighting up with Violet's name. Surprised, he hesitated before answering, unsure of what to say.

"Hey," he greeted her, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "I... I had to leave. Something came up."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and Henry could sense Violet's confusion through the phone.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice soft with concern.

Henry hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. He couldn't bear to burden Violet with his own troubles, not when she had her own battles to fight.

"Yeah, everything's fine," he replied, his tone a little too forced. "Just... needed some air, you know?"

He could almost picture the furrow in Violet's brow as she processed his words. "Okay," she said finally, her voice gentle. "Just... take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will," Henry promised, a pang of guilt tugging at his heart. "I'll talk to you later, Violet."

With that, he ended the call, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions. He knew he should have been honest with her, should have told her the truth about why he had to leave. But the thought of revealing his past, of opening up old wounds, was too much to bear.

As he pocketed his phone and continued on his way, Henry couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow letting Violet down. But for now, he pushed aside his guilt, focusing instead on the task at hand. There would be time to set things right with Violet later. For now, he had to focus on finding his own peace, on coming to terms with the demons that still haunted him.

Henry sat alone in his car, the faint glow of the dashboard illuminating his troubled expression. His mind buzzed with questions, doubts, and fears, swirling around in a chaotic dance that left him feeling more lost than ever.

Why did he feel the need to confide in Violet, to share the weight of his past with her? Was it the hope that her understanding gaze might offer him some solace, some relief from the burdens he carried? Or was it simply a desperate plea for validation, a longing for someone to tell him that he wasn't alone in his pain?

But even as these thoughts raced through his mind, Henry couldn't shake the nagging fear that plagued him: the fear of rejection, of judgment, of being seen as weak or damaged beyond repair. He had spent so long building walls around his heart, shielding himself from the world and its endless disappointments, that the thought of tearing them down now filled him with a paralyzing dread.

And yet, despite his reservations, a small part of Henry couldn't help but hope that maybe, just maybe, Violet would be different. That maybe she would see past the walls he had erected, past the scars that marred his soul, and still find something worth saving. But as the minutes ticked by in the silence of his car, that hope dwindled, drowned out by the deafening roar of his own self-doubt.

With a heavy sigh, Henry reached for the ignition, the familiar click of the key turning in the ignition serving as a harsh reminder of the reality he faced. Whatever demons haunted him, whatever secrets he harbored, he knew that he would have to face them alone. And as he pulled out of the parking lot and into the night, Henry couldn't help but wonder if he would ever find the courage to let someone else in, to trust them with the shattered pieces of his heart. But for now, all he could do was drive, his thoughts a tumultuous storm raging within him as he searched for some semblance of peace in the darkness.

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Henry can't catch a break </3

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