Chapter 81- I love you, Nia

Zack had never been more exposed, than in this moment. In front of Nia, his heart laid bare, he felt a mix of emotions crashing over him—fear, hope, and an overwhelming sense of relief.

When her trembling hands touched his face, the soft brush of her fingers against his skin sent a shiver through him.

It was a gesture so simple yet so powerful that it nearly brought him to his knees. She wasn't pushing him away. She wasn't retreating behind her walls. For the first time in years, she was letting him in.

"I've spent so long running from this," she admitted, her voice thick with emotion. "From you, from us, from what I thought would break me again. But I don't want to run anymore."

His breath hitched when she spoke. "I've spent so long running from this. From you, from us, from what I thought would break me again. But I don't want to run anymore."