Chapter 175
The Weight of Unfinished Business

When someone hurts us deeply and we can't get closure, the wound festers and poisons everything we touch. Andrew can't duel Kurágin because the man fled. He can't confront him, can't resolve it, can't move on. So the insult sits inside him like acid, eating away at his ability to connect with family, find meaning in work, or feel at home anywhere. This is the pattern of unresolved wounds—when we can't complete the cycle of hurt and healing, we carry poison that contaminates every other relationship and experience. The mechanism works like this: Our brains are wired to seek closure. When someone wrongs us and disappears—literally or emotionally—we're left with all this fight-or-flight energy with nowhere to go. We rehearse confrontations that will never happen. We carry imaginary arguments. The wound stays fresh because it never gets air. Meanwhile, we become impossible to live with, pushing away people who had nothing to do with the original hurt. This shows up everywhere today. The coworker who threw you under the bus then transferred departments—you're still angry at meetings six months later. The ex who ghosted you—now you're picking fights with your current partner over nothing. The family member who hurt you but won't acknowledge it—you're cold to everyone at gatherings. The boss who passed you over then retired—you're cynical about every new opportunity. The friend who betrayed your confidence then moved away—you don't trust anyone with real information anymore. When you recognize this pattern, you have choices. First, accept that some wounds won't get the closure you want—the other person might be gone, dead, or simply unwilling to engage. Second, complete the cycle yourself through writing letters you'll never send, talking to empty chairs, or working with someone trained to help. Third, consciously separate the original wound from current relationships—ask yourself 'Is this about them, or about the person who hurt me before?' Fourth, focus your energy on what you can control rather than rehearsing confrontations that will never happen. When you can name the pattern of unresolved wounds, predict how they'll poison your present relationships, and take action to heal them properly—that's amplified intelligence.