Chapter 43

• Past
• Dominic's eyes slowly fluttered open, his gaze falling on the figure of his wife, Valerie, sleeping peacefully beside him. Her head was resting on the corner of his bed, her slow, gentle snores a soothing accompaniment to the steady beeping of the machines surrounding him.
• As he looked at Valerie, Dominic's heart swelled with emotion. He saw the devastation etched on her face, the deep lines of worry and fear that had been carved into her features over the past few days. He saw the dark circles under her eyes, the pale complexion that spoke of sleepless nights and endless worry.