Chapter 202

Scarlett

Chapter 202

Scarlett’s POV

The silence that followed his words was deafening. His vulnerability, his brokenness, and his determination all hung in the air, leaving me to decide if this man-flawed and remorseful, but deeply committed was someone could risk my heart for again.

Lucian’s voice was sincere, each word laced with raw emotion and heavy with self-doubt. I could feel the weight he carried, the way he had internalized every failure, every moment he thought he’d let me down. His remorse wasn’t performative; it was tangible, bleeding into the space between us. Lucian wasn’t just apologizing—he was laying himself bare, stripped of pride, offering himself wholly, ready to rebuild the pieces of what we had shattered if only I would let him.

I took a deep breath, his words swirling in my mind, along with his promises and the unspoken burdens he was ready to bear. We all had scars, wounds we couldn’t undo. Pain that lingered, even as we tried to move forward. His vulnerability mirrored my own, and I realized how deeply I still cared for him, despite everything.

“I forgave you long before I returned,” I said softly, meeting his gaze. His expression shifted, surprise flickering in his eyes. “But I couldn’t let go of the hurt. It stayed with me, Lucian, like a shadow I couldn’t escape.”