The First Time He Saw Her Afraid of Happiness The nightmare returned at 3:17 AM. Sharp breathing. Trembling hands. Tears before full consciousness. Elena Laurent sat upright in bed suddenly, heart racing painfully against her chest. Darkness surrounded the cabin except for faint moonlight spilling through the curtains. Beside her, Adrian Laurent woke instantly. “Elena?” God. One word from him nearly made her cry harder. Adrian sat up immediately, concern replacing sleep in seconds. “Hey.” “Hey, look at me.” His hands reached carefully for her shoulders. “You’re okay.” But Elena looked shaken in a way he hadn’t seen for months. Not panic. Fear. Deep fear. Adrian brushed gently against her cheek. “What happened?” For several long seconds, she couldn’t answer. Then finally: “I dreamed you stopped loving me again.” God. The sentence physically hurt him. Because even after all this healing— after all this growth— some scars still lived quietly underneath the su
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