ISABEL POV

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the cemetery as I sat with Eira, the warmth of her presence a balm to my troubled soul. I'd spent the day carefully avoiding any mention of the knot that had tightened in my stomach since the morning, the unsettling whispers of Xavier's alleged infidelity. Or the new secrets I have of her.

"You are strong, you know," Eira said, her voice a gentle melody that soothed my anxieties. 'Stronger than you think."

I forced a smile, but the words felt hollow. I was tired of the constant battle within myself, the endless questioning of my worth. I was a shadow,...