𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The muffled sound of Y/n's sobs in my arms was enough to twist my gut into knots. I hadn't seen her like this in years—not since we were kids and she'd scrape her knee or have her heart broken over something small but world-ending to her at the time.

But this wasn't a scraped knee or some childhood spat. This was something much deeper.

I held her tightly, one hand cradling the back of her head while the other rubbed her back in slow, soothing circles. She clung to me like I was her lifeline, her face buried against my chest.

"It's okay," I murmured, keeping my voice low and steady. "I'm here. You're okay."

Alba appeared beside us, holding out a glass of water. She shot me a worried look, her brow furrowed as she silently mouthed, What happened?

I shook my head, a small gesture to indicate I didn't know yet. I gently guided Y/n toward the couch, easing her down without letting go of her completely.

Alba sat beside her, placing the glass on the coffee table within reach.

"Hey," I said softly, crouching down in front of Y/n to meet her tear-streaked face. "Can you tell me what happened, kiddo?"

Her lips trembled as she wiped at her cheeks, her voice barely above a whisper. "Madelyn... we broke up."

The words hit like a punch to the chest—not for me, but for her. The sheer weight of her heartbreak was palpable, and I hated every second of it.

Alba leaned in, her hand resting on Y/n's knee. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. What happened?"

Y/n took a shaky breath, her hands fidgeting in her lap. "She said... she said she can't keep doing this. That Scarlett—" Her voice broke on the name, and she shook her head.

"She thinks Scarlett still has a hold on me."

I exchanged a glance with Alba, both of us silent for a moment before I spoke. "Do you think she's right?" I asked gently, not accusing, just curious.

Y/n's head snapped up, her tear-filled eyes meeting mine. "No. I mean, I don't know. I love Madelyn, Chris. I tried to show her that, but she couldn't see it. Or maybe I wasn't doing enough."

"Y/n," Alba said softly, squeezing her knee. "This isn't about you not doing enough. Sometimes... sometimes people just see things differently. It doesn't mean you didn't love her. It just means... maybe there's more to figure out."

"She's right," I added. "Maddie loves you—anyone can see that. But if she feels like there's something unresolved, maybe you need to take a step back and think about it too."

Y/n's hands tightened into fists on her lap. "I don't want to think about Scarlett. I just want Madelyn."

I sighed, moving to sit beside her. "Kiddo, you can't force this. Madelyn made her choice, and I know it hurts like hell, but maybe you need to give yourself the space to figure out if there's any truth to what she said."

Her head dropped, her hair falling into her face as she whispered, "I just feel so... empty. Like I've lost everything."

"You haven't lost everything," Alba said, her voice warm and reassuring. "You have us. And we'll be here for you, no matter what."

Y/n looked up at us, her lip trembling. "Thank you. I mean it. I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

"Hey," I said, nudging her shoulder lightly. "You don't have to thank us. We're family. That's what we're here for, and you know I'll do anything for you and be here for you."

For the first time since she walked in, a tiny, fleeting smile ghosted across her lips. "You're still an annoying big brother, you know that?"

"Annoying but lovable," I shot back, ruffling her hair.

"Okay, okay, don't push your luck," she said, swatting my hand away, but her smile lingered a little longer this time.

"See?" Alba said with a grin. "There's that smile. We're making progress."

Y/n laughed softly, wiping at her eyes. "You guys are ridiculous."

"And you love us for it," I teased, leaning back against the couch.

She shook her head, but the warmth in her expression was undeniable.

For a moment, the weight in the room lifted, replaced by the kind of comfort only family could bring. But even as we laughed and joked, I couldn't shake the worry lingering in the back of my mind.

Y/n was strong, but heartbreak had a way of breaking even the strongest people. And I just hoped she'd find her way through it—whether that meant figuring things out with Scarlett or finding a way to move on.

For now, though, all I could do was be here. And that, I'd do without question.

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The late afternoon sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains of my Manhattan apartment, casting soft golden hues across the hardwood floor. I sat cross-legged on the couch, scrolling through my phone aimlessly.

Normally, the rhythmic chaos of the city outside would keep my thoughts from spiraling, but today, even the vibrant life beyond the windows couldn't pull me from the pit in my stomach.

My thumb paused on a headline, the all-too-familiar sensation of dread tightening my chest.

"Scarlett Johansson's Lingering Love? Y/n Evans Caught in Love Triangle Drama."

The accompanying photo was one I knew well—it had been plastered across every gossip site for the past few days.

Y/n and I, standing close at the bar, our heads tilted toward each other in what could easily be misconstrued as something intimate.

The dim lighting and grainy quality only made it worse, painting a picture of secrets and longing that, in fairness, wasn't entirely inaccurate.

I tossed the phone onto the coffee table with a frustrated sigh, leaning back against the cushions. My head tilted to the ceiling as I closed my eyes, willing the thoughts racing through my mind to quiet.

But they didn't.

They never did when it came to Y/n.

The truth was, Y/n had always been my blind spot. No matter how hard I tried to move on, no matter how much I convinced myself that letting her go was the right thing to do, I couldn't shake the way she made me feel.

She wasn't just someone I cared about; she was someone I needed. And that terrified me.

I grabbed a throw pillow from the couch, hugging it to my chest as I let out a bitter laugh. "You're a mess, Scarlett," I muttered to myself.

The memory of our conversation at the bar played over in my mind. The way she had looked at me, her jaw tight and her eyes fiery as she said, "Stop. This conversation is over." I had pushed too far, and she had shut me down.

I thought about the way she walked away, her shoulders tense, and I couldn't help but wonder—was that it? Had I ruined any chance of even being in her life as a friend?

The sound of my phone buzzing pulled me from my thoughts. I hesitated before picking it up, half-expecting another headline or speculative message from my publicist. But instead, it was a text from Florence.

FloPugh ⧗:
Have you heard from Chris?

FloPugh ⧗:
He's still pissed at you, huh?

I sighed, my thumbs hovering over the screen. Chris hadn't spoken to me since the confrontation on set. His words still echoed in my mind, cutting deeper than I cared to admit.

"If I have to choose between my friendship with you and my sister's happiness and heart, I choose her every single time."

I couldn't blame him. He was right, and I hated it. I hated that I'd let things get to this point, that my own confusion and selfishness had hurt two people I cared about more than anything.

ScarJo ⧗:
No, he needs time

FloPugh ⧗:
You're lucky he's even giving you that tbh... you kind of messed up :/

ScarJo ⧗:
I know, Flo. You don't have to remind me.

FloPugh ⧗:
So what are you going to do about it?

That was the million-dollar question, wasn't it? What was I going to do about it?

I stared at the screen, my heart pounding as an idea formed in the back of my mind. It was reckless, maybe even stupid, but it was the only thing I could think of that might start to make things right.

I opened Instagram, scrolling through my camera roll until I found a photo. It wasn't flashy or staged, just a candid shot of me on set, leaning against a railing, the skyline behind me.

My fingers hovered over the caption box as my mind raced.

What could I say? How could I say it without saying too much?

Finally, I typed out the words that had been circling in my head for days.

"Some connections never fade. Some people are worth fighting for."

I stared at the screen for a long moment before hitting post. The likes started rolling in almost immediately, along with a flood of comments I didn't bother to read.

My hands were trembling as I set the phone down, the weight of what I'd done settling over me like a heavy blanket.

It wasn't much, but it was a start. A step toward being honest about what I felt, even if it was terrifying.

I leaned back against the couch, closing my eyes as the city buzzed on around me. For the first time in days, I felt a strange sense of calm. It wasn't peace—not yet. But it was something.

And for now, that was enough.

. . .

𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The apartment felt colder than usual, even though the heat was on. I wrapped a blanket tighter around me, staring blankly at my laptop screen.

Photos of Madelyn and I filled the screen—a collage of happier times. A goofy picture of her covered in flour from the time we tried baking together.

A selfie on the beach, her arm slung around me as the ocean sparkled behind us. Each one was a painful reminder of what I'd lost.

I clicked through the album slowly, letting the memories wash over me. Her laugh, her smile, the way her nose crinkled when she was trying to be serious but couldn't hold back her grin—it was all there, frozen in time.

My chest felt heavy as I closed the laptop. The silence in the room seemed deafening, broken only by the faint buzz of my phone on the couch beside me.

Reluctantly, I picked it up, already dreading whatever new article or comment awaited.

And then I saw it.

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭'𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭

♡ 2.7M likes | 118k comments
scarlettjohansson: Some connections never fade. Some people are simply worth fighting for...

user1: ARE THE ARTICLES TRUE?!

user2: Did you actually date Y/n?

user3: THE LORE

user4: Wait so did Y/n cheat on Madelyn with you?
—> user3: Who said anything about cheating?

—> user5: makes sense, y/n and Madelyn have been so quiet lately
—> user3: maybe they just don't want their business out there, dipshit

florencepugh: I love you mamas
—> user6: I love y'all's friendship!
—> user7: Is she dating Y/N

user8: Anyone else notice Chris hasn't liked this post?
—> user2: YES OH MY GOSH

elizabetholsen: 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

The caption hit me like a punch to the gut. It felt personal. Like she knew I'd see it.

My heart clenched as I stared at the screen, my mind racing. What was she trying to say? Was it an admission? An apology? A confession?

"Why, Scarlett?" I whispered to the empty room. "Why now?"

My thumb hovered over her name, the temptation to call her growing stronger by the second. But before I could act, my phone buzzed again—this time with a text from Madelyn.

Madz ♡:
I hope you're doing okay. I just wanted to say I'll always love and respect you.

Madz ♡:
And maybe one day we can be friends but right now, I truly think we need to both have space to heal. Please take care of yourself.

Madz ♡:
I love you

I read the message three times, each word sinking deeper into my chest. Madelyn wasn't just moving on—she was letting me go. And I couldn't blame her.

My hands trembled as I typed out a response.

Y/n/n Evans ♡:
I'm truly so sorry for everything, Madz. You didn't deserve any of this and I wish I could've done better by you.

Y/n/n Evans ♡:
I hope you know how much you mean to me, I'll always be rooting for you no matter what. I love you too ♡

The tears came quickly after I hit send, hot and relentless. I wiped at my face, taking a shaky breath. Scarlett's post. Madelyn's message. Everything felt like it was crashing down at once.

I set the phone down and stared at the ceiling, the weight of my thoughts suffocating. Scarlett's words lingered in my mind—"Some things linger because they're never meant to be forgotten."

What was I doing? Why was I still letting her have this hold over me?

I knew what I had to do. Tomorrow, I'd reach out to Scarlett. No more avoiding it. No more cryptic messages or passive-aggressive posts. We needed to talk. About everything.

For better or worse, it was time to face the past.