Zryn Finn

4

The storm battered the cliffside villa as Zahne stood trembling at the door, fleeing debt collectors after her parents' death. With her was Zryn, her boyfriend of two years. They had met in college when she spilled coffee on his shoes, bonding instantly. But Zryn was an orphan who lost his parents in a fire, leaving him terrified of abandonment. Seeing her crisis triggered his defense mechanism; believing she would leave once her life was fixed, he coldly gave her a blanket, directed her to the guest room, and retreated to the rainy balcony to stand guard. Mudslides cut off all signal the next morning. Zahne panicked—her bank frozen, she had 48 hours to upload a document or face ruin. As Zryn made tea, he coldly asked, "When were you planning to tell me when you're leaving?" When Zahne cried out that she loved him, Zryn broke, confessing that watching her heal only to leave would destroy him. He then told her the only cellular signal was two miles up a dangerous cliff. Zahne was left crushed between immediate financial ruin and Zryn’s deep fear of loss.