Chapter 252

• Jade
• The date Damien planned was… nice. Nice in that way you don’t want to admit out loud because then it becomes real, and who needs that complication? I mean, dinner by the lake under the soft glow of the sunset with Penny giggling while throwing pebbles into the water was sweet. But relaxing? Not exactly.
• It’s hard to let go of years of resentment, mistrust, and anger in one evening, no matter how pretty the setting is. I wanted to be present, to appreciate what Damien was doing, but every time I caught myself smiling, my brain screamed, “Don’t forget what he did!” So, no, there were no fireworks, no magical moment where everything clicked, and we fell into each other’s arms. But it was… nice. I guess that’s a start.