As much as she did not want to believe in him, something told Valeria that he was telling the truth this time. She reached out to gently caress his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her fingertips. "Markus," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion, "I never realized...I…"

Markus silenced her with a tender smile, his eyes shining with love and affection. "I've never been good with words, Valeria," he confessed, his voice soft yet resolute. "But know that every moment I ...