Chapter 43

• The rough-hewn timbers of the cabin seemed to press in on Rowan, mirroring the weight of his past. He sat by the window, the fading light painting the snow-covered landscape in shades of grey and blue. The silence of the winter night was a stark contrast to the turmoil within him. Cleo's forgiveness, a fragile gift offered with such hesitant grace, hadn't brought the immediate relief he'd anticipated. Instead, it had unearthed a deeper well of self-reflection, forcing him to confront the shadows he'd tried so hard to ignore.
• He’d always been a man of action, a protector, someone who dealt with problems with his fists or his wits, rarely allowing himself the introspection that true healing required. He’d been driven by a righteous anger, a need to right the wrongs he’d perceived in Cleo’s life, blind to the nuances of his own actions, the unintended consequences of his impulsive decisions. He’d been so focused on rescuing Cleo from Julian, he hadn't considered the damage his own actions might inflict. The fierce loyalty that burned within him, once a source of strength, had become a blinding force, pushing him towards decisions he now deeply regretted.
• He thought of the night he’d first met Cleo again, the raw emotion, the explosive rekindling of a love he’d believed lost forever. He had acted quickly, decisively, driven by a cocktail of desire and vengeance. He’d become her shadow, her protector, a constant presence in her life, a constant reminder of the past they both tried to bury. But beneath the protective shield, beneath the carefully constructed facade of the unwavering protector, a deeper vulnerability throbbed, a constant ache of guilt and self-recrimination. He had been so consumed by his own pain, his own desire for retribution, that he hadn't truly seen Cleo, hadn't understood the depth of her suffering, the slow, insidious erosion of her spirit under Julian's tyrannical rule. He'd been a knight in shining armor, yes, but an impetuous one, riding roughshod over her own delicate recovery.