Chapter 28: An Evening of Truth

The fire burned low in the grand fireplace, casting flickering shadows against the dark wood-paneled walls. The air inside the estate was thick with warmth, the soft glow of candlelight illuminating the dining table set for two. I had ensured that the evening would be intimate—no servants hovering, no distractions—just Eleanor and me, alone with the weight of all that remained unspoken between us.

I had spent the entire day anticipating this moment. From the instant her letter arrived, I had read and reread her words, searching for something deeper beneath the ink. She had agreed to meet me, yet I sensed her hesitation. There was caution in her tone, as if she were walking the edge of a decision she had not yet made. And so, I prepared myself—not for a battle of words, but for the kind of honesty I had spent years avoiding.

A quiet knock at the door signaled her arrival.