"You don't need to pretend, Zoya!" Logan shouted over the radio noise.

Zoya's heart ached as she tucked in her lips, wishing she could turn back time to when she was a teenager. She was baffled by how the only man she had ever loved could cause her such heartbreak, one that couldn't be diagnosed under an X-ray machine.

In the past ten years, Zoya had invested her time and emotions into the marriage, neglecting her own needs and desires.

Her parents had never supported her relationship with Logan, advising her to focus on her studies when she was just 16. But she had threatened to run away, using her status as an only child to force them to accept her early marriage.

After graduating high school, Logan convinced her to become a full-time housewife. Initially, the marriage was perfect, with Logan taking her on dates, shopping sprees, and vacations. He swept her off her feet, and she abandoned her plans for further education.

However, as Logan became a successful business tycoon, their time together became limited. Whenever she complained about his late nights, he would wrap his arms around her and give her a gentle squeeze, silencing her protests.

Now, Zoya felt a tiny bump in her stomach, followed by a sour pain, but she remained silent. "I can go on a three-month trip," she bargained, her voice discreet but frail.

Logan's response was a dirty smirk, and he leaned forward, staring deeply into her eyes. "My sweet pretensions, Zoya, I don't need you to think for me or go on a vacation."

Zoya felt rejection crawling into her shattered heart, wondering if their love boat had crashed long ago. She remembered her father's fury ten years ago, her mother's attempts to pacify him, and how her father had blocked all communications with her after the wedding.

"Can't you give us a try?" she asked, her voice sounding like a plea.

Logan's lips moved closer to her ears, his words barely audible. "Taste changes, people move on." He shrugged expressively, and Zoya saw his mouth move but couldn't hear properly due to her own emotional deafness.

She crawled on the floor, begging him not to end their marriage, desperate to save it. Logan stepped on her hands, grinding on them in circles, and Zoya swallowed the pain.

He stumbled back, spat on her injured hand, and threw divorce papers on her lap. "It's over, Zoya. Keep the house; I don't want to be stuck in the disgusting memories you've forced on me over the years. Sign that, and I'll have someone collect it in the morning."

With that, Logan turned and walked out of the house, leaving Zoya shattered and alone.

Beneath the veil of time, memories linger—soft whispers in the dark, footsteps on forgotten paths, shadows that never fade. Where the Past Still Walksis a haunting anthology of poetry, exploring the ghosts of yesterday, the weight of regret, and the echoes of love that refuse to be silenced. Each verse is a doorway to the past, where longing, sorrow, and unspoken goodbyes intertwine with the supernatural. Step carefully, for here, the past is never truly gone—it only waits.

© 2025 INKELLE. All rights reserved. No part of this anthology may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without prior written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in reviews and articles.

This anthology is a work of fiction and poetry. Any resemblance to real persons, living or deceased, or real events is purely coincidental. The themes explored, including grief, nostalgia, and the supernatural, are artistic expressions and should not be interpreted as factual accounts. Reader discretion is advised.

WARNING: I HAVE BEEN NOTICING THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE PLAGIARIZING  OUR WORK. THIS WARNING IS FOR THEM SO PLZ DONOT PLAGIARIZE MY WORK. COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME BUT PLAGIARISM ISN'T ALLOWED AND I WON'T TOLERATE IT.

Hi peeps!

If u stumbled upon this blog....then hey wait...don't ignore this and just give this blog a chance.

Imma sure that u would love it.

We write reviews on all genres and yes on the stories written in Penana. Other than this... I personally also review randomly cz its more fun this way.

So if u are in search of any good story to read or u want to promote your story....then u are in right place.

And hey.... make sure to like before reading....

:-)))))

"We humans never realize what sin we do until those sins turn back towards us in the shape of the most terrifying nightmare"!!   Laura is like every one else but her one action tilted her life apart, now trying to collect the scattered pieces of her life ,  she must find out what sin she did that caused her life to turn miserable and what actions must be  taken to remake her life's picture.

SIN

"Some times we are doing it

With out even knowing it"!!

_ Mahnoor