In literature, “heartache” functions as a versatile emblem of deep-seated emotional pain and existential sorrow. It is employed to express both fleeting, personal grief—where characters silently absorb the weight of loss or regret [1, 2]—and more pervasive, life-altering despair that shadows choices and circumstance [3, 4]. Authors also use the term to blur the distinction between physical discomfort and the intangible suffering of the heart, thereby intensifying the reader’s sense of vulnerability and human frailty [5, 6]. In this multifaceted role, heartache becomes not only a measure of individual misfortune but also a broader metaphor for the inevitable trials and emotional costs of life [7, 8].