A Pretense... Novel

When we become deeply immersed in our own deceptions, we often fail to recognize the pretenses of those around us. This blindness to others' facades becomes a fundamental human tendency. We perform actions believing they serve others' interests, yet we may cause them harm under the guise of protection. Our well-intentioned deceptions can inflict greater suffering than the very pain we sought to prevent. The consequences of our pretenses ripple far beyond what we anticipate or understand. While some deceptions can be corrected before they cause irreversible damage, others reach a point where amendment becomes impossible. This story explores the delicate boundary between these two states—examining whether there remains time to rectify the masks we've worn and the lies we've told, or whether the moment for correction has already passed. It questions the complex interplay between our hidden truths and the truths of those around us, and whether redemption remains possible when pretense has taken root.