The Two Masters

That night came rushing back to him, vivid as if it had happened only yesterday. The cold stone walls of the prison cell, the flickering torchlight casting trembling shadows, the heavy weight of his impending death pressing down on his chest.

He had lost everything—his honor, his family, his future. And then, Naomi appeared.

She came to him like a dream, her presence both a balm and a blade. He could see the anguish in her eyes, the silent war waging in her heart. Then, with a trembling voice, she spoke words that shattered his already broken resolve.

"Jethru, I love you. In this lifetime, it will only ever be you."

At first, he refused. He was a condemned man, a criminal branded with shame. What kind of future could he offer her? How could he allow the woman he loved to taint herself with his disgrace?

But Naomi was relentless. She had bribed the guards for privacy, for time—precious, fleeting time.