XLII

Three Years had passed since Lucifer's departure, and Davina, now the Hell Lord—well, Lady—sat quietly outside the very place where he used to spend his time. She sipped her tea in the heavy, familiar silence, her gaze fixed on Ethan, now all grown up and laughing as he played with the hellhounds. He had become her constant companion in these years of solitude. The loss of Lucifer had left her shattered, but she had accepted the title of Hell Lord without hesitation. For her, it was more than a title—it was a way to be close to him, to walk the paths he once walked. Every day felt like she was tracing his steps, reliving his life, even though the person she longed for was no longer there."Ethan," she called softly, watching the tennage boy interact with the hellhounds like he was still the playful child she remembered. "I'm heading inside. There's some work I need to attend to."Ethan glanced over and nodded with a smile, too occupied with the hounds to say much. Davina rose to her feet, dusting off her dress, and began to walk through the familiar hallways of the palace. But today felt different. She let her feet carry her without purpose, her mind wandering, and before long, she found herself standing in front of a hallway she had never noticed before. It was strange, but something drew her down the dimly lit corridor.At the end of the hallway was a door, old but well-maintained, with a brass plaque that read, "Theo's Room." Davina's heart stilled, her breath catching in her throat. She whispered his name softly, feeling the words on her tongue, words she hadn't uttered in years. "Theo..."It was so long since she'd heard his name, so long since she allowed herself to think of him as anything but the dark lord. With a trembling hand, she pushed open the door.The room was frozen in time. Her eyes immediately fell on the walls—covered in markings she vaguely remembered from their past. The scent of him hit her like a wave, washing over her, filling her senses with a presence that had long been missing. Her gaze was drawn to the far wall, where a painting of her hung above the bed. Tears, unbidden and relentless, began to fall from her eyes.Davina hadn't cried in so long. She had mourned him endlessly after his passing, but the tears had stopped coming. Instead, a constant ache had taken their place—a tugging pain in her chest that never truly left her, always threatening to pull her under. But here, standing in the room that had once been his, where his memory lingered in every corner, she couldn't stop the tears. They flowed freely, as if the floodgates had finally broken open.She stepped inside the room, her fingers tracing the furniture that looked old yet pristine, as though someone had been caring for it in his absence. His scent was still so strong, lingering on everything, from his neatly arranged shirts and coats in the closet to the very air she breathed. She smiled sadly through her tears, feeling closer to him in this moment than she had in years.Davina sat on the bed, her fingers running across the sheets that still smelled like him. She lay back, letting herself sink into the comfort, closing her eyes as if she could will him back to her. Then, as her hand slipped under the pillow, she felt something—a piece of paper. She pulled it out, her heart racing as she saw the name scrawled across it in his handwriting: To my wife, Darcey Theodore.Her breath hitched, goosebumps rising on her skin as his voice echoed in her mind, as clear as if he were standing beside her. She stared at the letter, her hands trembling. She didn't want to open it—she didn't think she could handle it. She had finally reached a point where she could speak of him without breaking, where she could carry his memory without drowning in it. But now, seeing his words, knowing they were meant for her, she felt herself unraveling.After a long, shaky breath, she opened the letter, tears already blurring her vision.To my dear wife,If you are reading this, then it breaks my heart knowing that I have failed to protect you from the depths of this hell. It also might mean that I have left you all alone once again. Will a 'sorry' ever cover the sorrow? I hope you aren't too sad, my love. If it helps, then know that I am utterly, completely, and unbelievably still in love with you. No matter the past, present, or future, just know that I loved you, I love you, and I will love you even if I turn into dust and air.All these lifetimes and passed years, there has been no one but you. And no matter what people say, it will always be you—even in the next lives, if there is any. Know that I have no regrets about falling for you. If I could go back in time, I would still choose to fall for you, to protect you till the very end. So please, don't feel guilty. These were my choices.Although it hurts to say, I hope, after some time has passed, you can move on from me and find someone who loves you—not as much as I do, because no one ever will, but a little less. I'm petty like that. I know. But I hope you can live the rest of your life with someone who cares for you as deeply as you deserve. That wolf isn't a bad choice either... Ouch, you can hear my heart breaking.I want to keep writing, but I'm sure by now you're already a mess. Before I say goodbye, tell that , i mean specifically to THAT demon... I'm tastier than ice cream. *winky-winks*Goodbye, my love.Davina stared at the letter, her vision completely blurred by tears now. Her heart shattered into pieces as she clutched the letter to her chest. She had thought she was strong, that she could carry the weight of his memory without breaking—but now, she was broken. Completely, utterly broken. Her sobs wracked her body, making it hard to breathe as she curled up on the bed, clutching the letter like it was her lifeline."I'm so sorry, Theo," she whispered through her tears. "I'm so sorry. I can't move on. I can't live without you. I can't—" Her words were cut off by another sob, her body shaking violently as she buried her face in the pillow that still smelled like him. She lay there, crying like she hadn't cried in years, as if all the pain she had held inside was finally pouring out.Hours passed, and the room slowly filled with the soft light of dawn, casting a golden glow over everything. But Davina didn't move. She lay there, completely drained, her body exhausted from the weight of her grief. The letter remained clutched in her hand, a reminder of the love she had lost—the love that would never truly leave her, even as the world around her moved on.