Chapter 14 - The Echoes of the PastThat evening, Mark sat on the porch steps after Grace had been put to bed. The sky was an expanse of deep indigo, dotted with the first pale stars of twilight.
Elena came outside, draping a warm blanket over both of their shoulders as she sat beside him, resting her head against his arm.
"Seeing her today," Mark said quietly, his voice blending with the chirping of crickets in the tall grass. "It made me realize how easily we could have become that. Hollow. Chasing ghosts until we destroyed everything around us."
"We almost did," Elena reminded him gently. "We were living in a house full of cold stone and expensive lighting, pretending we were safe because we had strong locks."
"Do you ever miss it?" he asked, turning his head to study her profile in the dim light. "The comfort? The lack of worry about bills?"
Elena took his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. Her skin was warm, alive, rooted. "I worried every day in that house, Mark. I worried about who you were talking to, what deals you were cutting, what piece of yourself you were selling off to keep the facade standing. Here, I know who walks through that door every evening. I have never felt more wealthy in my life."
Mark brought her hand to his lips, kissing the inside of her wrist where her pulse beat steady and strong.
May you like
"She forgave me," Mark murmured. "Chloe. In her own way."
"She didn't forgive you, Mark," Elena said softly. "She forgave herself. And that’s the only reason she can finally begin to heal."
