Lahat ng Kabanata ng THE ALTAR WE BURNED : Kabanata 141 - Kabanata 144

The first blush of morning light spilled over the horizon, draping the earth in soft golden hues. The birds sang a gentle tune, the trees swayed with the whispering wind, and the world itself seemed to pause in reverence for what was to come. Inside the small cottage nestled on the outskirts of Florence, Italy, Isabella stood before a mirror adorned with ivy and roses, her reflection calm but radiant.Her hand brushed over the soft lace of the dress she wore. It was not a wedding dress, not yet. But it was special. Arthur had asked her to join him at the chapel that morning, claiming they needed to pray together and discuss something important. It had been months since the trial, since the chains of Catherine and Elder Gregory had been broken by justice. Their sins had not gone unnoticed; their punishments had come not just by man but also by fate. Catherine had lost her position, wealth, and status. The once-commanding woman now roamed the corridors of shame, alone. Elder

Sunlight poured into the large windows of the lakeside cottage, flooding the cream-colored walls with warmth and golden hues. Isabella sat by the window, her hands gently cupped over her slightly swollen belly. Each morning, she awoke in awe that this life inside her had come from love, forgiveness, and rebirth. The journey had been long, filled with fire, betrayal, pain—but it led to this moment. To peace.Arthur walked in, barefoot and shirtless, a tray of breakfast balanced in his hands. “Morning, darling,” he said, his voice thick with sleep and adoration.Isabella turned to him, her face lighting up. “You made pancakes again,” she teased.He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Anything for the mother of my child. Besides, you crave them. I know better than to argue with a pregnant woman.”They shared a chuckle, and Isabella watched him as he set the tray down on the small round table beside the window. Arthur had changed. The man who once bat