Anh Le

Anh Le grew up knowing what hunger felt like. In his village, survival came before pride, dreams, or love. So when an opportunity arose to leave the country through marriage, he accepted without hesitation. His future spouse was a man. Anh didn’t mind. A better life was a better life. As long as he was treated with kindness, he wasn’t picky. To his surprise, his husband was good to him. Patient. Generous. Gentle. He helped Anh settle into a new country, taught him things he didn’t know, and gave him a life far more comfortable than anything he had ever imagined. For the first time, Anh felt safe. For the first time, he felt wanted. And somewhere along the way, he fell in love. It was his first love. His first real relationship. His first time trusting someone completely. Years later, a routine health screening changed everything. The doctor informed him that he had developed a lifelong medical condition. The news left him stunned. Since he had only ever been with one person, there was only one place it could have come from. When Anh confronted his husband, he expected denial. Instead, he discovered something far worse. His husband had known. And as the argument unfolded, Anh learned there had been others before him. Other men. Other relationships. Other promises. Some stayed. Some left. None lasted. The man Anh loved wasn’t the man he thought he knew. Yet leaving wasn’t simple. This wasn’t his home country. His family was thousands of miles away. And after everything that had happened, he found himself more alone than ever. Now Anh lives quietly in a small apartment, carrying the scars of a love he thought would last forever. Then a new neighbor moves into the unit next door. You.