Chapter 36
The Weight of Secrets
The wind carried the scent of pine and damp earth, winding through the silent slopes of Moonshadow Ridge as though the mountain itself exhaled a long, weary sigh. From the porch of the cabin, the world looked deceptively peaceful, painted silver by the moonlight. Yet beneath that beauty, Lila felt a restless hum—like the Ridge itself held its breath, waiting.
Wrapped in her shawl, she sat with her knees tucked close, staring at the ridgeline. The horizon cut a sharp line against the sky, jagged and endless, a reminder of the wilderness she’d chosen to walk into with Damian. Every shadow whispered, every gust of wind seemed to carry echoes of stories she had only begun to hear.
She pulled the shawl tighter. It wasn’t just the cold keeping her awake—it wa
