Chapter 77 The Quiet Goodbye

• —Sixteen years ago.
• Day after day, Tristan and Aiden became inseparable. Their bond grew stronger with every passing moment, as if they were unknowingly building a foundation for something that would last a lifetime. They did everything together, playing, talking, and exploring the little world around them.
• One quiet afternoon, Tristan sat alone in the sitting room, flipping through the pages of a book he wasn’t truly reading. His aunt entered with a tray carrying two plates of pasta primavera. She set them down on the table and sat beside him.