Summer kills

Unable to bear the onslaught of noise and colors, Ruby escaped to the sprawling gardens that bordered her villa. She sank onto a marble bench under a canopy of cherry blossom trees; their soft pink petals stood stark against the inky dark sky.

"Are you really gone?" she whispered to the wind, hoping its cool tendrils would carry her words to him. A tear traced it's way down her cheek, glistening like a diamond in the moonlight before getting lost in the vastness of her expensive gown.

Her heart ached for some sign - a whisper in the wind, a rustle among the leaves, anything that would tell her he was still there - somewhere. And as she sat there under the twinkling stars, one of them twinkled just a bit brighter again. It felt as if it was winking at her from afar.

For all its worth and all its implications, they could label it madness. But for Ruby, this was more than just madness - it was love that transcended the barriers of time and space. It was love that continued to bloom amidst sorrow and pain; love that danced around emptiness and found solace in memories. She laughed softly into the quiet night - yes indeed, this was

the madness of love.

An echo of memories pulsed with each passing moment, each beat of her heart serving as a painful reminder of his absence. She sighed, slumping onto the cold marble bench, her jet-black curls cascading down her back, absorbing the silvery moonlight as she lost herself in the dance of dappled shadows.

Ruby's gaze drifted to the centuries-old willow tree at the edge of her vast garden. She remembered how he'd swing from its flexible branches with an infectious laughter that would light up even the darkest corners. As she looked at it now, it was just another lifeless reminder.

He was everywhere yet nowhere.

Staring out into the moonlit landscape, she absentmindedly twirled her diamond encrusted bracelet, a gift from him on their last anniversary. It sparkled in the dim light, just like his eyes used to full of love and promises. Promises that were now shattered fragments of her broken heart.

Suddenly, a soft melody drifted towards her - a forgotten tune he used to hum whenever she felt low. It wrapped around her like a warm embrace, tugging at her heartstrings. Was it real or just echoes of her tortured mind? Ruby didn't care anymore; she savored it like a parched traveler stumbling upon an oasis.

Inexplicably comforted by this spectral serenade, Ruby rose from the bench and began to walk aimlessly through her garden, leaving behind footprints on the dew-kissed grass. She walked past rows of exotic flowers they had planted together - tulips from Holland, roses from France and orchids from Thailand; all blooming under the opulence of moonlight.

As she walked further into her luxurious solitude, hugging herself tighter against the slight chill in the air, one particular section caught her eye - their secret corner tucked away amidst rows of lavender bushes. Nestled beneath an ornate pergola was the carved stone seat where they spent countless hours, lost in whispered secrets and shared dreams.

Against the twinkling canvas of the night sky, Ruby could almost see their silhouettes cuddled together. His resonant laughter echoed in her ears as she traced the worn out etchings on the stone - a heart with their initials engraved inside. It was an everlasting monument to their love that continued to endure despite his absence.

In this little corner of her vast mansion, under a sky laden with memories and longing, Ruby let herself feel. She wept; not just tears of sorrow but also of love, regret, and heartbreak. The cool night air soaked up her cries as she clung onto his phantom presence for solace.

And so, the exotic flowers bloomed in her vast garden, and somewhere in the cosmos, a solitary star twinkled brighter. Her friends danced and drank in her opulent villa, oblivious of her private anguish. The world spun on its own axis - merry and cruel.

Yet for Ruby, lost in her pristine prison of riches and heartache, love bloomed amidst the ruins. As she whispered his name into the wind one last time that night, she found solace in knowing that he lived on - not just in her memories but also in each corner of their shared paradise.

Ruby's world might have been cold

and elegant, a dazzling epitome of wealth and luxury, but tonight, it felt empty. It was as if the magnificent sculptures that adorned her mansion, the intricate mosaics that decked its halls, and even the glistening chandeliers that illuminated its grandeur had lost their sheen to her. What were they in the face of her gut-wrenching loss?

Her eyes wandered over to the extravagant indoor pool with its enticing turquoise water mirroring the mournful moonlight - another sanctuary they once shared. The soothing sound of cascading water from the golden fountains at the corners was just a painful reminder of his soft whispers and gentle laughter.

He loved to swim at midnight amidst floating candles, his toned body shimmering under the dim light. Now, its tranquility was just another poignant echo of his absence.

She roamed through her palatial house aimlessly; an unsteady waltz through grand ballrooms echoing with mirth of parties past, gleaming galleries adorned with priceless art now blurred by unshed tears. She brushed her fingers lightly against a portrait of him in the hallway - a masterpiece painted by an Italian artist. His piercing blue eyes seemed to hold her gaze; it was as if he was right there, looking at her through the canvas.

Unable to bear the almost palpable silence surrounding her, she found herself at the piano - another silent witness to their love story. Her slender fingers danced over the ivory keys, breathing life into a melancholic nocturne - their song - that resonated through her hollow mansion.

Time stood still as every corner of her world absorbed his lingering symphony. In that fleeting moment, Ruby felt him next to her all over again - his arm draped around her waist, whispering sweet nothings into her ear as she played their haunting melody.

Her heart bled notes onto keys steeped in memories; every chord strung together echoed his love, every melodious sigh exhaled through her million-dollar mansion sent shivers down her spine. Her heartache found a voice in the echo of that piano, reverberating through the marbled halls, weeping along with her.