the sun and cast long shadows at night. But none of that prepared him for the

silence, walking through the gardens with no purpose other than to listen to her speak about flowers

er part, wa

een burne

lates, and smiled through gala dinners hosted by absent parents. But beneath the silk and pr

en was d

her around like an acquisition. He watched her-truly watched h

idn't trust e

d through the vast windows of t

ver freshly brewed coffee. "I

d, startle

only I go when I need

engines a soft hum beneath their conversation. Rose watched the

going?" she

y grandfather built before he died. No sta

with a river that sang softly in the distance. Rose stepped inside, surprised by the warmth-the fireplace, the

ction on his face. "This is where I come to re

watching the stars blink awake, Adrie

behind closed doors. I used to think money could fix things. I worked hard to become some

t him, her he

a house filled with everything but love. To learn to spea

the kind that didn'

barely above a whisper. "You're diffe

steady. "I do. And th

and, and this time s

," he said. "Not

"Don't promise wh

. But I'll fight for y

was undeniable, and for the first time in a lo

wood around her, Rose couldn't sleep. Adrien had placed a piece of himself

knew, was

maybe, it was

blivious to the hearts finding their rhy