All Chapters of Caught Between Two Men And The Apocalypse : Chapter 61

His tone remained gentle. Not judgmental. Just concerned, in the careful way he always was when something mattered. Natasha stared into her coffee. For a long moment she didn't answer. Then, finally, she spoke, quietly. "The marriage ended a long time ago." Rowan remained silent, listening the way only he knew how — fully, without rushing her toward anything. And Natasha appreciated that more than she could say. "The day Josh told them to leave me behind..." Her voice stayed steady, almost detached. "I died." The words surprised even her. Not because they weren't true, but because she had never said them aloud before, not once, in all the months since. Rowan's expression softened, but he didn't interrupt. Natasha continued. "The woman he married isn't here anymore." She shook her head slowly. "She died back there." Her eyes drifted toward the distant skyline, hazy with afternoon light. "The Natasha sitting here now isn't the same person." A strange peace settled over her as she