THE VOICEMAIL

THE VOICEMAIL
~Anna's POV

The engagement announcement was four days ago.

The world's been celebrating James's engagement, photos flooding every news site, James and Elena at the press conference, her hand on her stomach, his hand on her back. The perfect couple expecting their perfect child.

Every day, Daisy brings food I don't eat—soup gone cold, toast untouched. Sympathy I can't accept because accepting it means admitting how completely I've been destroyed.

"Anna." Daisy sits on the edge of my bed. "You have to go back to rehearsal today."

I stare at the ceiling, counting cracks in the plaster. Seven. Like the number of days since my world ended.

"Dwayne called again," she continues. "The production can't wait much longer. Investors are asking questions. Preview is in three weeks."

"Let him find another Seline."

"Anna—"

"I gave James thirty days." My voice sounds hollow. "Thirty days to prove Elena was lying. Thirty days to choose me."

Daisy is quiet.

"He needed two." I look at her. "The engagement was announced before my thirty days even mattered."

"So what are you going to do?" she asks softly. "Let him take everything? Your career, your passion, your dreams?"

"He already took everything that mattered."

"Then take something back." She opens the curtains. Sunlight floods the room, harsh and unforgiving. "Get up. Get dressed. Go be Seline. Because right now, you need to remember you're more than just the girl James Reynolds left behind."

The girl James Reynolds left behind.

Is that who I am now?

I look at the star necklace on the nightstand. I took it off two days ago, determined to let go. But my fingers kept reaching for my throat, feeling the absence like a wound.

I clasp it around my neck anyway. The weight settles familiar and painful. Because even knowing he chose someone else, I can't seem to let go.

"Okay," I whisper. "I'll go."

\---

The Blackbox Theater smells like dust and wood and possibility. For one moment, I almost feel normal.

Then everyone turns to look at me.

Whispers start immediately.

"That's her."

"Remember the billionaire guy that came here—"

"Places, everyone!" Dwayne's voice cuts through. He sees me, and relief floods his face. "Anna. Thank God." He doesn't ask where I've been. Just: "We're blocking the curse scene today."

Mark catches my eye from across the stage. He nods once. You're not alone.

Something in my chest loosens slightly.

"From the top," Dwayne calls. "Seline knows her love is destroying the kingdom. She must choose, save everyone by leaving, or destroy everything by staying."

The irony isn't lost on me.

I take my mark. Close my eyes. Breathe.

I'm not Anna Chen anymore. I'm Seline.

When I open my eyes, the words come:

"If my love brings only ruin, then let me be the ruin that walks away."

"Good," Dwayne says. "But I need more pain, Anna. You're tearing out your own heart. Make me feel that."

I don't have to reach far. It's right there, bleeding fresh.

We run the scene again. And again. And again.

By the fourth take, my voice is raw, the words scraping out like broken glass.

"That's it," Dwayne says quietly. "Perfect. Take five."

I slip off stage, heading for the back hallway. Just need to breathe.

That's when I hear Becky's voice.

"She's probably dealing with a lot. Family stuff, you know? Sometimes change is hard."

"What do you mean?" someone asks.

"Just, life changes. New situations. It's a lot for anyone." A pause. "But she'll be okay. She's young, resilient."

My blood runs cold.

They don't know about James and me.

But hearing everything reduced to "family stuff" and "life changes"—as if the destruction of my entire world is just normal growing pains, it cuts deep.

"Becky." Mark's voice is sharp. "Stop."

"I'm just saying—"

"You're done talking about it."

I slip away, heading for the restroom.

I lock myself in a stall, press my palms against cool tile.

Don't cry. Don't break. Not here.

But Becky's words echo: Family stuff. Life changes.

She doesn't know that "family stuff" was the man I loved choosing someone else instead of me.

But if people knew the truth, the billionaire guardian and the girl he raised, they'd never understand. No matter that I was twenty-three. No matter that I chose him.

They'd make it something ugly.

Maybe that's why he walked away so easily.

The bathroom door opens. "Anna?"

Mark.

"I'm fine."

"You're not. And that's okay." He pauses. "I'm not leaving until you come out."

I unlock the stall slowly.

My reflection looks haunted. The star necklace catches the fluorescent light.

"You don't have to be strong all the time," Mark says gently.

"He chose her." The words spill out. "He chose her, not even fighting for me. What does that say about me?"

Mark leans against the sink. "Maybe his choice wasn't about what he wanted." His eyes are too knowing. "Sometimes people make choices for reasons that have nothing to do with desire."

"He's marrying her, Mark. In sixty days. He chose responsibility. Chose her." I turn to face him. "That's not complicated. That's a decision."

Mark nods slowly. "You're right. I'm sorry."

He moves to the door. "For what it's worth? You're allowed to love who you love. You're allowed to be destroyed when it doesn't work out. That just makes you human."

"Thank you," I whisper.

"Come on. Let's finish rehearsal."

\---

Rehearsal ends at six. I'm exhausted, the kind that lives in your bones.

I gather my things slowly, avoiding eye contact. Mark offers to walk me out, but I shake my head.

My phone is heavy in my pocket. I finally pull it out in the parking lot.

Seventeen missed calls from Dwayne. Three from Mark. Texts from cast members.

And one saved voicemail.

From James. Four days ago.

Not a new message. The original call. The one where he told me he was marrying Elena, and I hung up before he could finish his sentence.

I saved it after I hung up on him. I don't know why.

I've listened to it seventeen times in four days.

My finger hovers over delete.

But I press play instead.

His voice fills my head:

"Anna."

Pause. Unsteady breathing.

"I need to tell you something before you see it on the news."

Another pause, longer this time.

"I'm announcing my engagement to Elena. Today. At noon. We're getting married. In sixty days. Before the baby comes."

His voice cracks on the next part:

"I'm choosing to be a father to my child, Anna. I'm choosing to do the right thing."

Then my own voice, small and broken:

"Two days. It's been two days since I left."

"I know."

"And you've made up your mind."

Silence stretches. Then:

"Anna, I need you to understand—"

Click.

I hung up before he could finish.

Four days later, and I still wonder what he was going to say.

I need you to understand—

Understand what? That he loved me but loved responsibility more? That the baby mattered more than sixteen years of us?

My finger hovers over his deleted contact. I could restore it. Call him back. Demand he finish.

But he's engaged. Marrying Elena in fifty-three days.

Whatever he was trying to say doesn't matter anymore.

But I press save instead.

Again.

I sit in my car as the sun sets, phone clutched in my hand.

I need you to understand—

He sounded broken. Wrecked.

And I don't know if that makes me feel better or makes me want to scream.

Because if he's suffering too, why choose her?

Why give up after two days?

I touch the star necklace at my throat.

"You've always been my light in the darkness."

But darkness is all I feel now.

I start the car. Put the voicemail on repeat.

"I'm announcing my engagement to Elena."

"I'm choosing to be a father to my child."

"I need you to understand—"

By the time I park at Daisy's, I've listened seven times.

And I still don't understand.

But I save it anyway.

I hate myself for it.

But I save it anyway.

\---