I Mistook His Countdown for Love

Claire could see numbers above her two childhood friends' heads. She believed they measured love — Daniel's ∞ meant he adored her. For years, she nursed him through his eating disorder, endured his coldness and humiliation. Until Alex's number hit zero and he confessed: the numbers were countdowns to confessions. ∞ meant Daniel would never confess. Claire woke up. She stopped giving. Daniel, losing her, watched his ∞ turn into a real countdown — too late. Claire rejected his belated apology and chose Alex, who had loved her silently, possessive yet always respecting her boundaries. She finally understood: infinite patience isn't love. Being chosen is.