Markus offered her a faint smile, gratitude shining in his eyes. "It's not your fault, Valeria," he reassured her, his voice warm with affection. "If anything, it made me realise just how much you mean to me, how much I never want to hurt you again."

Valeria's question hung in the air, heavy with the weight of unspoken emotions. “Lily…I…” Markus's expression shifted, his features contorting with a mixture of guilt and anguish. He swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry, as he ...