man she saved. The incident which

fluttered with excitement, imagining laughter, shared meals, and long walks with her new husband. Only to find a letter of apology clipped

feel its warmth, none of it could reach the chill in her chest. Her footsteps had no destination, just a rhythm that matched her restlessness. She passed rows of bloo

ndant cool against her skin-her silent comfort in moments of fear. A strange stil

her eyes to quickly spot him. Her heart dropped. For a split second,

ce cracked and desperate. His chest still rose-barely. Without thinking, she flagged down help a

t she didn't stay. Duty tugged at her sleeve, and with one last gl

trange feeling of relief eased her mind, he had survived. That alone was something to be grateful for. But the weight of what she'd just learned pressed down harder t

bag from the chair, her movements jerky, uncoordinated. Without a word, without a backward glance, she turned and left

yet so full of fire. But beneath his amused exterior, a deeper storm stirred. Over these years, he hasn't felt much joy as he did now, pure and unsha

t his phone, the screen lighting up as he d

irk curved his lips

e, he murmured,"You won't be able to

this

aos once-now she would b

ld never l

uietness in her home,but her heart was far from calm. She kicked off her heels, each step to the bathroom a

ing her with a tired, flushed reflection. Her finge

just beneath her jawline

"Oh no!," she mutter

wrestled with guilt. That mark wasn't just a kiss-it was

ready pulling open the drawer beneath the sink. Foundation? Concealer? A scarf

nergy, a shiver of satisf

go. Now she had to

ing marks on her neck, she thought she'd forgotten about the night. She immediately went to her wardrobe and started scanning through for suitable clothes, bypassi

thud of her footsteps echoing her resolve. The city was already alive outsid

fresh paper and roasted coffee grounding her. Her

she f

d not too far from where she stood. Her hea

it

ing. She turned slowly, pulse dru

n she s