Chapter 76

• One evening, as she sat alone in the garden of the estate, the cool breeze rustling through the trees, Vesper appeared, his silhouette framed by the moonlight. She didn’t need to ask where he had been; she knew he had been watching over her, as he always did. It was a constant, comforting presence, even if it made her heart ache at times.
• “Elara,” he called softly, his voice like a balm to her weary soul. “You’ve been quiet lately. Is something troubling you?”
• She glanced up at him, feeling the weight of her unspoken thoughts pressing down on her. “I keep thinking about Damien,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I keep wondering if I made a mistake.”