XLII

The path to the house seemed to stretch endlessly before her. With every step, she felt the weight of what was to come, but also a strange lightness, as if, by approaching the truth, she was shedding the burden of ten years of doubts, pain, and silence. The residence loomed ahead, large and silent, as though it, too, awaited this moment.

When she reached the door, she paused, taking a deep breath before raising her hand to knock. The sound of her knuckles against the wood seemed to echo in the air. A few seconds passed before the door opened, revealing Simon.

The butler looked at her with a mixture of surprise and expectation.

" Lady Grace, " he said, bowing slightly, " What can I do for you? "

" I need to see Marcus, " she replied without hesitation.

Holloway nodded quickly and invited her inside. The tension in the air was palpable as he led her toward the parlor where his master was waiting. Upon crossing the threshold, Simon paused, understanding that this was a moment he shouldn't witness. He bowed once more and, without a word, closed the door behind him.

Grace saw Westlin standing by the fireplace, his tall figure slightly hunched, illuminated by the flickering flames. There was something different about him, something she hadn't noticed before. Marcus raised his head when he sensed her presence, looking at her with a mixture of despair and longing, but he made no move to approach. He waited, as if knowing that any sudden movement could shatter the fragile balance between them.

As she observed him, Grace noticed how thin he had become. The days they had spent apart had taken their toll. The collar of his shirt, unbuttoned to his chest, revealed skin paler than usual, almost translucent in the firelight. His face, once marked by serene elegance, now bore the signs of deep exhaustion. His unshaven beard gave him a more disheveled appearance, as if he had let go of everything that once defined him. His hair, unkempt, fell messily over his forehead, showing a lack of care for his own appearance.

There was something desolate about his figure, a vulnerability she didn't remember seeing in him. Marcus had always been an imposing man, self-assured, even in the tensest moments of their relationship. But now, as she looked at him in silence, Grace realized he had been suffering too, perhaps as much as she had. The weight of the past few days was etched in every line of his face, in his slumped shoulders, in the sad gaze he could no longer hide.

For a moment, her heart wavered. She had been so focused on her own pain that she hadn't considered his.

Finally, it was she who broke the silence.

" I can't go on like this, Marcus, " she declared, her tone betraying the inner struggle she had been fighting. " It's not fair to either of us. "

Westlin nodded. He knew this moment would come, but nothing had prepared him for the pain of hearing those words out loud. He took a cautious step toward her.

" Grace… I know. I've hurt you in ways that are unforgivable. There's no excuse for what I did, and I don't expect you to forget, " he said, his voice heavy with regret. " But I came back because I can't live without you. Because… I love you. "

His words hit her with an intensity she hadn't expected. She closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

" And do you think saying you love me is enough? " she replied bitterly. " That everything you did will just disappear with a simple confession? "

Marcus lowered his head, swallowing hard.

" I don't expect you to forgive me right away, " he said softly. " I know what I did is unforgivable. And I'm willing to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I regret it. "

Grace looked at him, trying to process her feelings. She wanted to reject him, to tell him it was too late... But a part of her still clung to what they once shared. A part of her still loved him, though it hurt to admit it.

" I don't know if I can trust you, " she murmured, her voice breaking. " You broke my heart once… How do I know you won't do it again? "

" I won't, " he said, with a sense of urgency that surprised even him. " The only thing I can offer you is my honesty. I'm not the same man I was, Grace. I've changed because you changed me. I made a mistake, and I regret every day of these past ten years. I'm not asking for forgiveness now, just for a chance. A chance to prove to you that I'm the man who is willing to give his life to save yours. "

Grace felt her resolve waver. The tears she had held back for so long finally spilled, and for the first time in years, she let Marcus see her pain. She didn't know if she could forgive him, but one thing was certain: she couldn't keep ignoring what she felt.

" I can't promise you anything, " she whispered. " But… I'm willing to try. "

Marcus nodded, understanding the weight those words carried.

"I understand that it will be difficult for us to forget the past," Marcus replied softly. "All I ask is that you let me try. Let me prove to you that I can be the man you need."

The silence fell between them once again, but this time it wasn't uncomfortable. It was laden with emotions, unspoken feelings, and everything left unsaid during those ten years of separation.

Finally, Grace took a deep breath, making a decision. She didn't know if she was ready to forgive him, but she knew she couldn't keep running from what she felt. Perhaps it was time to stop fighting against what her heart was telling her.

Grace walked toward Marcus, her heart racing as each step brought her closer to what she knew was a point of no return. The space between them closed with an intensity that sent shivers across her skin. Marcus, standing still, watched her in silence, not daring to breathe. There was something in her gaze that disarmed him, a blend of determination and doubt that made him fear the outcome of this encounter.

When she reached him, Grace raised a trembling hand, her fingers brushing against Marcus's rough beard, unshaven for days. Her eyes trailed over his face, noticing the exhaustion etched in his eyes, the sharp contours of his cheekbones, and the thinness of his neck visible beneath the unbuttoned shirt. The sight of this man, so different from the one she remembered, shook her. Marcus was no longer the proud marquis she had known, but someone who had suffered just as much as she had. That vulnerability made him even more human in her eyes.

Without thinking too much, Grace closed the remaining distance between them. She could feel the warmth of his breath as their faces drew near. For a moment, everything hung suspended. They looked at each other, as if seeing one another for the first time, and then, almost instinctively, their lips met. At first, it was a gentle touch, a tentative brush, as if both were afraid to break the delicate tension holding them together. The kiss was a question, a search for what remained after so much pain and separation.

But soon, that softness transformed into something more. The initial uncertainty gave way to a desire that had been repressed for far too long. Grace's hands moved to Marcus's neck, clinging to him as if afraid he might vanish, while he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. It wasn't just a gesture of passion; it was a need for closeness, a yearning to reclaim all they had lost.

The kiss deepened, filled with everything they hadn't said over the years. Every movement was a silent confession, a cry of everything they had suffered. It wasn't just a reconciliation—it was a reunion in the truest sense, a reminder that the love they had shared had never fully disappeared.

Time seemed to stand still as their lips moved in unison, as if through this act, they could heal the wounds that had separated them. The urgency grew with each passing second, the past and present intertwining in that moment, and the pain began to dissolve, replaced by a hope that neither of them had been willing to admit.

When their lips finally parted, both were breathing heavily, trembling from the intensity of what had just happened. The silence that followed wasn't awkward; instead, it was full of promises, of new beginnings. Marcus looked at her, his eyes filled with emotion, and Grace, still catching her breath, realized that what they had just shared was far more than a simple reconciliation. It had been a mutual surrender, the start of something that had been waiting for years to bloom.