Chapter 82 After We Were Bound

• Zane
• My eyes fly open as I feel the warmth of the sun, its light filtering through the curtains. Katarina is still sleeping beside me, breathing peacefully. I smile as I watch her, my fingers stroking her hair. The memory of last night floods my mind. I can’t believe we finally made love. I kiss her forehead, careful not to wake her, and then get out of bed, feeling excited.
• The house is quiet. Roselyn hasn’t come out yet. Feeling inspired, I head to my darkroom. It’s been three years since I set foot in here—not since Lina died. But today feels like the start of something new. I’m driven by the emotions I’ve been suppressing for so long. The smell of paint and canvas greets me. There was a time I never went a day without this scent. My art made me loads of money, but I stopped because of my grief. I sit at the easel, staring at a fresh canvas, and pick up my brush, letting the strokes come naturally. I allow myself to get absorbed in my imagination, and it moves me.