Chapter 252

• The morning stretched on, and we moved slowly through it, lingering over coffee and soft laughter. Julian had prepared breakfast, simple eggs and toast, nothing extravagant, but the effort behind it spoke volumes. We ate together at the small kitchen table, fingers brushing, sharing quiet conversation and stories of the past we hadn’t shared before.
• “I never thanked you properly,” I said suddenly, pausing mid-bite. “For standing with me. For believing in me. For… everything.”
• He shook his head, a gentle smile on his lips. “You don’t need to thank me,” he said. “You did the hard work yourself. I just stood beside you while you built your world.”