Scarlett’s POV
There was a time, not too long ago, when his footsteps in the hallway made me tense.
Now, they make me pause.
Not in fear. Not even in sadness. But in something softer. Curiosity, maybe.
This morning, I heard him near the window where I sat journaling. He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. I just felt him there, like a shadow I no longer feared, a ghost learning to become a man again.
When he left, I realized something.
I didn’t brace myself anymore.
Jasper’s POV
She was wearing blue today. The same soft, steady shade that always reminded me of peace.
I watched her from the doorway of the garden room, not daring to step further. She had that half-frown on her face, the one she wears when she’s deep in thought, like she’s holding the world together with sheer willpower
