The ballroom never truly recovered after Oom walked away. The music resumed a few moments later, but it sounded distant, almost out of place. Conversations started again in hushed voices, though every now and then someone would glance toward the woman still kneeling on the marble floor. Bam didn’t notice any of it. She couldn’t hear the whispers. She couldn’t see the flashing cameras. Her eyes remained fixed on the entrance where Oom had disappeared. For five years she had imagined this moment countless times. She had rehearsed apologies in front of a mirror. She had convinced herself that if they ever met again, Oom would at least yell at her. Maybe she’d cry. Maybe she’d tell Bam how much she hated her. Instead… Oom had looked at her like she was a complete stranger. That hurt more than any insult ever could. A tear rolled down Bam’s cheek. “I deserve this…” she whispered to herself. A pair of black heels stopped in front of her. For a split second, hope filled her chest. Oom… But when she slowly looked up, it wasn’t Oom standing there. It was Lena. Her expression was unreadable, but there wasn’t a trace of sympathy in her eyes. Lena looked down at Bam for several seconds before speaking. “So…” “You finally know what it feels like.” Bam lowered her head. “I know.” Lena let out a dry laugh. “No.” “You don’t.” “If you did…” “You would’ve walked away the first time you realized Oom was breaking because of you.” Miu quietly walked over and stood beside Lena. She glanced at Bam before gently touching Lena’s arm. “Lena…” But Lena didn’t stop. “You know what happened after the divorce?” Bam slowly shook her head. “I… no.” “Exactly.” “You don’t.” “You were so consumed by your guilt that you never bothered to find out how she survived after you left.” Bam clenched her trembling hands. Lena folded her arms. “The first thing she did was sell your house.” Bam frowned. “Our house?” Lena nodded. “She couldn’t stay there.” “Every room reminded her of you.” “The kitchen reminded her of the breakfasts she used to make.” “The balcony reminded her of your morning coffee.” “The bedroom…” Lena paused for a moment. “…she never stepped inside again.” “So she sold it.” Bam’s breathing became uneven. Lena continued. “She moved into a penthouse.” “It was beautiful.” “Big.” “Expensive.” “And completely empty.” “No family photos.” “No decorations.” “No memories.” “It looked more like a hotel than a home.” Miu quietly looked away. Even after five years, those memories still hurt. Lena took another step closer. “She buried herself in work.” “Board meetings.” “Business trips.” “Negotiations.” “Anything that kept her busy.” “Anything that kept her from thinking.” Bam whispered, “…She always hated overworking.” “I know.” “She used to tell me that money wasn’t worth sacrificing your health.” Lena nodded. “Exactly.” “And yet she became the very person she used to criticize.” “There were weeks she barely slept.” “Days when coffee was the only thing keeping her standing.” “She collapsed during a shareholders’ meeting.” “The doctors forced her into the hospital.” Bam’s eyes widened. “…Hospital?” “Twice.” “The second time, they told her if she kept going like that…” Lena looked away before finishing. “…she could’ve died.” Bam covered her mouth. “No…” Miu finally spoke. “We were terrified.” “There were nights she would wake up from nightmares.” “She never told us what she dreamed about.” “But every single time…” Miu swallowed. “…she called your name.” Bam completely broke down. Her shoulders shook violently as she cried. “I’m sorry…” “I’m so sorry…” Lena’s face remained cold. “You know what made me hate you the most?” Bam slowly looked up. “Oom never hated you.” Bam blinked. “What?” “When people called you a cheater…” “She stopped them.” “When journalists tried digging into your affair…” “She refused to answer.” “When investors wanted to remove your family’s name from joint projects…” “She protected your reputation.” Bam stared at her in disbelief. “Even after everything…” Lena’s voice cracked for the first time. Continuation ⬇️ #lenamiu #oombam #fanfiction #fyp #wlw - @msjuntold