Chapter 41 Gratitude And Acceptance

• A quiet evening settled over Amelia’s home, as if the world itself had paused to give them a moment to breathe and gather their thoughts after everything that had happened. In the hearth room, where the dim firelight danced along the walls, two men sat in silence—her father, Brad, and Damien.
• They didn’t rush to speak. The silence between them wasn’t tense, but rather deep, filled with unspoken thoughts. Too much had transpired in recent days. Amelia’s rescue, the unveiling of conspiracies, the dangers they had faced—everything had left its mark. Each man needed a moment to comprehend the scale of it all.
• Brad held a glass of dark wine in his hand but barely touched it. His gaze was fixed on the fire, as if hoping to find answers to unasked questions within its flames. He had always been a man of action, someone who solved problems and protected his family. But this time had been different. He hadn’t been able to go after Amelia, hadn’t been there when she needed protection the most. That truth gnawed at him. Only thanks to Damien was she alive. Whole. Strong. Changed.