Chapter 16
The days after their quiet conversation stretched out like a fragile thread between Rachel and Eric—both unsure how tightly to hold on, or if they even dared to.
Rachel found herself watching Eric more carefully. He wasn’t the man she had once feared, the cold, unyielding figure who had thrown her into a nightmare. Instead, he was more human now—flawed, broken, and struggling just like her.
One rainy afternoon, Eric surprised her by showing up at the bookstore with a small bouquet of wildflowers, their colors muted by the gray sky outside.
“I thought these might brighten the place up a bit,” he said, offering the flowers with a tentative smile.
Rachel blinked in surprise. “You remember I like daisies.”
He nodded. “How could I forget?”
They sat in the back room, sipping tea quietly. For a moment, the tension lifted as they talked about small things—books, the weather, a movie they once liked.
Then Eric looked at her seriously.
“I want to be honest, Rachel. I’m still haunted by what happened to Helen. Every day I ask myself if I could have done more, if I missed something that could have saved her.”
Rachel’s throat tightened. She knew the weight of guilt all too well.
“I was blamed for her death, but I never wanted any harm to come to her. I loved Eric,” she said softly. “Maybe not in the way Helen did, but my love was real too.”
Eric reached out, hesitating before his fingers brushed hers. The contact was electric and terrifying all at once.
“I don’t expect you to forgive me now,” he said quietly. “But I want you to know I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere.”
Rachel felt tears prick her eyes, but she blinked them away stubbornly.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “For not giving up.”
The rain continued to fall outside, washing away the dust and grime of years past.
Inside that small room, two wounded souls began to find a fragile kind of peace—one small step toward healing, one tentative moment of trust.