For too long, I let my past dictate my future. I let fear control me, let guilt anchor me to a life that was never meant to be mine. But now, I'm done running.

Choosing myself is the hardest thing I've ever done. It means walking away from Chris, from the life I thought I needed, and finally admitting what my heart's known all along. Zayn is the one who makes me feel alive. He's been there for me when no one else was—through the darkness, the pain, the moments I thought I couldn't survive.

But leaving Chris isn't easy. The guilt, the fear, the weight of all the unfinished things between us—it claws at me. And the doubts? They're relentless. Can I really move on? Can I trust in love again after everything I've been through?

Zayn's love is everything I've craved, but accepting it means shedding the last of my old self. It means facing the ghosts that still haunt me, confronting the parts of me I've tried to forget.

This is my chance to finally be free. To choose love without fear. But walking away from everything I've known is terrifying.

Will I be strong enough to take the leap? Or will the past pull me under, one last time?

In Book 8, I'm reclaiming my life, my heart, and the future I deserve. No more running.