GUNTER POV
The second she said my name, my entire world narrowed to the space between us.
Her voice—soft, hesitant, wrapped in layers of fear—shoved all the air out of my lungs. For a moment, I didn’t know if I was breathing or drowning. I rose to my feet like I was surfacing from deep water, afraid any sudden movement might scare her away.
Would you show me the nearby forest?
That was what she asked. A simple question. Normal. Neutral. But it felt like the words carried a blade inside them, hidden in velvet.
I nodded because my mouth didn’t trust itself to speak. Not without betraying everything I was holding in. Not without begging.
As we stepped out of the dining room—away from the heavy eyes, the silence that choked, the scent of untouched food and swallowed words—I let out a bre
