KIEFER POV I heard the knock on my door.
I already knew who it was.
Jay.
I got up from the couch and opened the door.
She stood there with a small smile, but the moment she looked at me, her expression changed.
Her eyes moved toward the coffee table.
The five envelopes were still there.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Hey.” i said She walked inside.
For a moment, neither of us said anything.
Then she looked at me.
“Those are the letters?” I nodded.
“Yeah.” She sat down on the couch.
I sat beside her.
I picked up the first two letters.
“I read the first two.” Jay looked at them.
“Can I ask you something?” “Anything.” “Who was Rose?” I looked down.
I knew this conversation would come eventually.
“She was my best friend.” i said Jay waited.
“And my girlfriend.” i said Her expression changed slightly.
“You loved her?” she asked I nodded.
“Yeah.” Jay looked away.
I could see the question in her eyes before she even asked it.
“So you loved Rose.” she said again I turned toward her.
“Yes.” She looked at me.
There was hurt in her eyes.
Not anger.
Just hurt.
And somehow that hurt me more.
I reached for her hand.
“But Jay…” She looked at me.
“I don’t love her anymore.” i said She didn’t say anything.
I continued “Rose was a part of my past.
A very important part.
I won’t lie about that.” I looked at the letters.
“She was my best friend for two years before we started dating.
Then we were together for another two years.
She was important to me.” Jay nodded slowly.
“I know.” she said “But after she died…” I paused.
“It took me two years to even feel like myself again.” Jay’s eyes softened.
“I waited.” i said “For what?” she said “I don’t know.” i said I looked at her.
“I think I was waiting to feel something again.
Waiting until I could move forward without feeling like I was leaving her behind.” i said Jay looked down at our hands.
“And then you came back into my life.” i said She looked at me.
“You didn’t replace her.” i said “I know.” she said “No, Jay.
I need you to understand.” i said I turned completely toward her.
“I didn’t choose you because Rose was gone.” She didn’t speak.
“I chose you because you’re you.” i said Her eyes became glossy.
“I love you.” i said She looked away.
she whispered.
” it feels like if Rose hadn’t died, you wouldn’t have chosen me.” That sentence hurt.
Because I understood why she felt that way.
I took a breath.
“You’re right about one thing.” i said She looked at me.
“If Rose hadn’t died, my life would probably be different.” i said Jay’s expression fell.
“But that doesn’t mean you would’ve been my second choice.” i said I squeezed her hand.
“That’s the thing about life, Jay.
We don’t get to know what would’ve happened.” i said I looked into her eyes.
“Maybe Rose and I would’ve stayed together.
Maybe we wouldn’t have.
I don’t know.” i said “But what I do know is what happened.” i said I touched her cheek.
“I came back.” i said “You were here.” i said “We found each other again.” i said “And I fell in love with you.” i said Jay’s eyes filled with tears.
“Not because I needed someone.” i said “Not because Rose was gone.” i said “Because you’re Jay.” I smiled softly.
“The girl who knew me before London.” “The girl who somehow still understands my stupid jokes.” “The girl who argues with me over the smallest things.” “The girl who came back into my life and somehow made everything feel normal again.” Jay laughed quietly through her tears.
“You really are stupid.” I smiled.
“See?” She shook her head.
I held her hand tighter.
“Wherever life takes us, Jay, I will always choose you.” i said She looked at me.
“Always?” “Always.” I glanced at the letters.
“And these…” I picked up Letter Two.
“They’re memories.” i said “That’s all they are.” i said Jay looked at them.
“She wrote them for your future.” she said “Yeah.” i said “And now you’re reading them after she’s gone.” she said I nodded.
“I know.” i said She was quiet.
Then she whispered, “What if they keep making me feel like I’m standing outside your past?” My heart sank.
I understood.
She wasn’t jealous of a dead girl.
She was afraid she would always come second to a memory.
I put the letters down.
“Then I won’t read them.” i said Jay looked at me.
“What?” she asked “I mean it.” i said I pushed the envelopes away.
“There’s no reason for me to keep reading them if they’re making you feel left out.” i said “But they’re from Rose.” she said “I know.” i said “And they mean something to you.” she said “They did.” i said I looked at Jay.
“But you mean something more to me now.” i said She stared at me.
“I don’t want to spend my time looking backward when the person I love is sitting right in front of me.” i said A tear slipped down her cheek.
I wiped it away.
“I don’t want you wondering if you’re my second choice.” i continued “You’re not.” “You never were.” “And you never will be.” Jay leaned closer.
I wrapped my arms around her.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
I could feel her breathing against my chest.
I looked down at her.
“Rose is part of my story.” “You’re part of my life.” i said Jay smiled faintly.
“That’s actually a really good line.” she said “I know.” i said She laughed.
I smiled.
Then I looked at the five letters one last time.
For the first time since Hanni had given them to me, I wasn’t afraid of what they meant.
They were memories.
Beautiful ones.
Painful ones.
But memories.
I had already lived that chapter.
I didn’t need to keep reopening it just to prove that it mattered.
Jay was here.
She was real.
She was holding my hand.
And if life gave me the choice again— Rose or Jay.
Past or present.
Yesterday or tomorrow.
I knew my answer.
Jay.
Every time.
I moved the letters to the side of the table.
“I’m not reading the others.” i said Jay looked surprised.
“You don’t have to do that.” she said “I want to.” i said “But what if you regret it?” she asked I shook my head.
“I won’t.” i said I smiled at her.
“Because right now, I only want you.” i said She looked at me for a long moment.
Then she rested her head against my shoulder.
And for the first time that night, I stopped thinking about the past.
I just held the person I had chosen.
The person I was choosing.
The person I would keep choosing.
Jay.
They 2 letter i read were memories maybe after reading The two letters I had read were memories I had already lived.
With every line, I remembered Rose, the moments we shared, the laughter, the arguments, and the love we once had—but I didn’t fall in love with her all over again.
My love had changed.
Rose was a part of my past, and my heart now belonged to Jay.
“Kiefer” jay called me “Yes babe ” i said “I want to tell you something” she said “What ” i said ” Its about lily ” she said