The way Jacob’s face shifted, fury, sorrow, tenderness all tangled together, almost broke me. His jaw clenched, and his eyes burned like wildfire as he snapped, “Do not dare blame yourself for his choices. Draven is just a stupid man, blinded by his own anger. He does not know how to value what he has lost, and he sure as hell does not know how to take responsibility for it. You are not his excuse, Lio. You never were.”He tried to argue further, tried to tell me it was not my burden to carry, but I saw the lines of truth in his eyes. I had dragged my past into his sanctuary, and no matter how much he wanted me here, he could not deny that my presence was the spark Draven chased.“I promise you, Jacob,” I whispered, my voice raw.“Tomorrow morning, I will leave. This is the only way I can give back what you have given me, peace. You deserve that.”His mouth opened as though to protest again, but in the end he only swallowed hard, stepping closer until his warmth pressed against me.“I
Last Updated : 2025-09-22 Read more