EDEN
I don't push. I just hold his hand, letting the silence linger. Finally, he exhales shakily. "I can't... I can't talk about the rest right now. It's too much."
"Okay," I whisper. "Okay. That's enough for now."
He looks at me then, his eyes red-rimmed. "I'm sorry," he breathes. "For everything. For dragging you into my hell. For not being strong enough to stop it from hurting you too."
I swallow hard, tears slipping down my cheeks despite myself. The scars. The burns. The way he flinched when Rachel reached for him at the memorial.
It all clicks.
Rachel wasn't just a nanny. She was his nightmare. And now she's back.
I feel sick.
Hayden's thumb brushes my cheek, wiping away a tear. "Don't cry for me," he murmurs. "Please."
I shake my head. "I'm not. I'm crying for the boy who d
