Chapter 240
Aubrey
Max’s soft snores fill the quiet of his room as I gently pull the blanket up over his small shoulders. His toy soldier is still clutched tightly in his hand, even in sleep, his little fingers curled protectively around it. His cheeks are streaked with the remnants of tears, and his eyelashes are still damp. My heart clenches as I lean down to press a kiss to his temple.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” I whisper, my voice barely audible, afraid to disturb the fragile peace of his sleep. He shifts slightly, nuzzling into his pillow, and I smooth a hand over his dark curls before standing.
The soft light from his bedside lamp casts a warm glow over the room, but it feels heavy in here. Suffocating, almost. As if the weight of everything that just happened still lingers, curling in the corners like shadows. I flick off the lamp and quietly slip out, leaving the door cracked just enough to hear him if he calls out in the night.
The hallways are silent as I make my way back to our room. My bare feet make no sound on the cool stone floor, but my mind is anything but quiet. I can still hear Max’s desperate sobs, his cries for Soren not to hurt Mavis. The memory makes my chest ache.
I push open the door to our room and step inside, closing it softly behind me. The dim light from the bedside lamp illuminates Soren sitting on the edge of the bed, his broad shoulders hunched, his head in his hands. His usually
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Chapter 240
commanding presence is gone, replaced by a man who looks. broken.
The sight of him like this sends a pang of sadness through me. Soren, who always seems so unshakable, so strong, looks like he’s carrying the weight of the entire world–and in many ways, he is.
I move toward him quietly, my feet barely making a sound against the plush carpet. He doesn’t look up as I approach, his fingers digging into his hair, his elbows braced on his knees. His entire posture screams off for the man I know, and it breaks something inside me to see him like this.
Reaching out, I run my fingers gently through his hair, letting my nails scrape lightly against his scalp. His entire body tenses under my touch, his shoulders stiffening as if he’s trying to hold himself together.
“Soren,” I whisper softly.
He slowly lifts his head, and when his eyes meet mine, my breath catches. I’ve never seen him like this. His blue eyes, usually so clear and focused, are rimmed red, glassy with unshed tears. His jaw is tight, his lips pressed into a thin line, but the way he’s looking at me–like he’s barely holding himself together–makes my heart ache.
Before I can say anything, he reaches for me, his hands gripping my waist as he pulls me into him. His arms wrap around me tightly, and his face buries into my chest as he finally breaks.
A harsh, guttural sob tears from his throat, and I feel his entire body shake against me. My arms move, wrapping around his shoulders as I hold him close. My fingers continue to comb
through his hair, and I rest my chin lightly on top of his head, whispering words that I’m not even sure he can hear.
“It’s okay,” I murmur.
His grip on me tightens, as if he’s afraid, I’ll disappear if he lets go. His tears soak into the fabric of my shirt, but I don’t care. All I care about is him, about being here for him when he needs me.
“You couldn’t have known,” I tell him. “You didn’t have a
choice.”
“She. she killed herself,” he chokes out finally, his voice muffled against me.
I freeze, the weight of his words hitting me like a physical blow. “Mavis?” I whisper, pulling back slightly to look down at
him.
He nods, his face still pressed against me. “She said she loved me and couldn’t let her death be on my conscience,” His voice cracks, and he shakes his head, his fingers digging into my hips.
“Oh, Soren,” I breathe, my heart breaking for him. It would be one thing learning you have to kill someone close, someone you trusted, another when they love you enough despite the situation to not allow you to do it.
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