QUIET SPACES

#vote# on Dreame, In this chapter, we see Uche standing at a painful crossroads, between fear and hope, between the wreckage of her past and the fragile possibility of something real with Chen. Healing is rarely linear. It’s messy, it’s terrifying, and it demands a courage that sometimes feels impossible to summon. I wanted this chapter to slow down, to breathe, to give Uche the space she’s never truly had: the space to be scared and still be loved anyway. Chen’s patience isn’t just romantic, it’s necessary. Real trust takes time to build, especially after betrayal and heartbreak have taught you to expect abandonment at every turn. If you’ve ever struggled with learning to trust again after being hurt, Uche’s journey might feel familiar. You are not alone in that fight. Healing doesn’t mean pretending the past never happened—it means carrying it with you differently, and still daring to love anyway. Stay with me, there’s so much more ahead.