Marcus POV
I stood at the threshold of her room, my hand resting against the wooden frame as if it could somehow steady the storm within me. She was there, illuminated softly in the candlelight, her back to me. The sight of her was enough to weaken my resolve, but I couldn’t let that show—not now. Not after everything I’d done.
I took a step inside, feeling the weight of the silence between us. “Mitchell,” I murmured, barely louder than a whisper, almost afraid to disturb the delicate air around her. When she turned to face me, her gaze was guarded, her eyes holding all the things she’d left unsaid. For a moment, I wanted to look away, to shield myself from the truth reflected in those eyes. But I couldn’t.
I’d wronged her. That was clear enough. But standing here, with her so close and
