Chapter 249

• The night deepened around us, quiet and steady, and I realized I hadn’t felt this kind of peace in years. The gentle lapping of the river seemed to echo all the moments we had survived—the fights, the betrayals, the sleepless nights—and now it carried something lighter, something ours.
• Julian reached over and pulled out a small bag, simple and unassuming. He opened it to reveal a few photographs, some of us over the years—laughter caught in midair, small victories, quiet moments nobody else had seen. “I kept these,” he said softly. “So we would never forget how far we’ve come, together.”
• I smiled, touched more than words could hold. “I can’t believe you saved these,” I whispered. “I never imagined someone would hold onto the small things so carefully.”