جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 177

Teresa's POV I woke up to the sound of voices. Low at first, muffled by the hospital room door. Then louder. Sharper. The kind of voices that came from people who had stopped caring about being overheard.I opened my eyes slowly. The room came into focus. White walls. White sheets. The soft beep of machines beside the bed. The smell of antiseptic and something floral, probably from the small vase of flowers on the windowsill.Mark was there. Still in the chair beside me, where he had been every time I woke up for the past two days. His hand was wrapped around mine, his grip loose but present. He was awake now, his body tense, his eyes fixed on the door."What's going on?" I asked. My voice was rough, scratchy from sleep and from the damage to my throat.He looked at me immediately, his expression softening. "You're awake.""What's happening?" I pushed myself up slightly against the pillows. My body ached. Every muscle protested.He hesitated for a second, his jaw tightening. "Your mo

Teresa's POV Mark adjusted the blanket, pulling it up to my shoulders. Careful. Gentle."You should rest," he said."I'm tired.""I know."He stayed close. His hand still holding mine.I looked at him. "You really didn't leave.""No.""Not even once?""No." His voice was soft. "I wasn't going to let you wake up alone."I nodded. Then I shifted slightly, making space on the narrow hospital bed.He looked at me. "Are you sure?""Yes."He moved carefully, climbing onto the bed beside me. Not too close at first, then closer. His arm wrapped around me, pulling me gently against his chest. His warmth seeped into me, chasing away the cold that had settled in my bones.I rested my head against him. My body relaxed slowly, for the first time in what felt like years."I've got you," he said quietly.I closed my eyes.This time, I believed it.---Two weeks passed before the trial.Two weeks of statements and paperwork and waiting. Two weeks of doctors checking me, officers asking questions, la

Teresa's POV I started therapy two weeks after the trial. Even though I told myself I was ready, the first session proved that I was not as prepared as I thought. The office was quiet and warm, decorated in soft colors with a comfortable couch and a chair where my therapist sat across from me. The room was designed to make people feel safe, but I could not relax. I sat on the edge of the couch with my hands clasped tightly together, my knuckles white, my shoulders tense. My eyes moved around the room instead of settling on my therapist's face. I looked at the bookshelf, at the plants by the window, at the clock on the wall. Anywhere but at her.She introduced herself gently. Her name was Dr. Evelyn, a name that made my chest tighten for a moment before I realized it was just a coincidence. She explained how the sessions would go, how long they would last, and told me that I could take my time. There was no pressure to say anything I was not ready to say. But time felt like pressure i

Teresa's POV The flight felt longer than it actually was, and by the time we stepped off the small boat that brought us to the island, my body felt heavy in a way that had nothing to do with stress and everything to do with finally letting go. The air was warm and soft, the sound of the water steady and calm, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was stepping into a place where nothing bad had ever happened to me.Mark stayed close beside me as we walked toward the villa, our bags carried by someone from the resort who greeted us politely and then disappeared just as quickly. The path was lined with tall palm trees and thick green plants, and everything looked untouched, quiet, almost private in a way I was not used to. When we reached the villa, I stopped for a moment just to take it in.It was open and bright, with wide glass doors that led straight to a stretch of sand that belonged only to us. The pool curved along the edge of the villa, and beyond it was the ocean