Chapter 18

• ROSE'S POV
• I stared at the moon’s reflection in the lake, admiring how the silver light shimmered softly on the water’s surface. The wind rustled the leaves in a gentle rhythm, helping me to calm my chaotic thoughts. For a brief moment, the pain in my chest dulled, but it remained there.
• I had forced myself into this calm, but no matter how hard I tried, the ache in my heart refused to fade. Each passing minute made the lump in my throat grow larger, harder to swallow.