Ethan sent what he believed to be his final manuscript. It was his best work, a culmination of his soul and sacrifices. Days passed with agonizing slowness, each second stretching into eternity.
Finally, the reply arrived. Another rejection. The words were polite, clinical, and merciless. Ethan wept uncontrollably, clutching the envelope to his chest as though it were a betrayal.
Every ounce of hope drained away. He had given everything—health, comfort, love, and life itself—for words that no one wanted. The rejection was not just of his manuscript, but of him, and he felt the weight of invisibility crushing him completely.