"I opened it. Sat with it. And then I let it go. Because loving someone doesn't always mean answering. Sometimes it means choosing yourself, even when your heart's still sore." Summary: Ivy finally reads Jace’s message, two days later. But instead of spiraling, she breathes. The words don’t gut her like they used to. They don’t unravel her. She doesn’t reply—not because she’s punishing him, but because she no longer needs his validation to feel whole. For the first time, Ivy chooses stillness over reaction, healing over hope. And it’s not weakness—it’s freedom.