Chapter 129

It wasn’t dramatic.

There was no single moment where she realized she had fallen again.

It happened quietly—between shared glances, thoughtful pauses, and the steady rhythm of consistency.

One evening, as she and Daniel (she had finally grown used to saying his name in her thoughts) walked along the riverfront, she caught herself laughing at something small and ridiculous.

He wasn’t trying to impress her.

He wasn’t trying to win.

He was just present.

And she felt ...