Chapter 28 No Going Back

• Max***
• The sunrays of dawn slipped through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the bed where we lay tangled in each other. Sara’s breath was steady now, her body still pressed close to mine, but I knew she was asleep. I stayed awake, watching her, memorizing every detail—the way her lashes rested against her cheeks, the faint rise and fall of her chest, the warmth of her skin against mine. She had drifted back into sleep after our conversation, her lips slightly parted in peaceful slumber. I couldn't help but smile, grateful for this moment of quiet intimacy before the day began. She fits perfectly in my arms, like a missing puzzle piece finally found. I don’t understand why she left when she knows this is where she belongs—where she is safe, where she is loved.
• In this moment, with her in my arms, the world outside didn’t exist.