Page 287 of Nemesync
He patted my shoulder and let a small kiss on my head before pulling away, casting a last teasing glance at Elijah. “Take good care of her, Eli. Don’t let her get too wild without me.”
Elijah pulled me toward him and nodded in agreement. “I’ve got it covered. Now go, before I change my mind and decide to keep you here.”
Niko laughed and headed towards the waiting jet. The engines roared to life as he boarded, and with a final wave, the aircraft soared into the sky.
Elijah’s gaze lingered on me, “It looks like it’s just you and me for a while,Milaya,” he promised.
“Sounds perfect.”
I leaned against Elijah, his arms providing warmth against the soft and cool breeze.
My attention was drawn to two elderly women on a weathered bench in front of us. Their lovely faces told stories of a lifetime spent together, marked by lines of experience, love, laughter, and embraces. Their gazes were filled with a deep understanding for each other.
I couldn’t help but imagine the life that Luna and I could have had - growing old together, sharing laughter and secrets, facing life side by side.
The illusion of watching our respective families grow, attending weddings, and simply being there for each other through life sounded euphoric.
But I knew it was just a dream that would remain a beautiful yet unattainable one.
We had dreams too...
Sometimes people forget to mention that when you lose someone, it’s not the memories from the past that hurt the most, but the realization that you have to create new ones without them.
It’s even more painful to accept that there will never be more firsts to experience together, no more birthdays, no more celebrations,nothing.
And it’s the most painful part of all the grieving process, because it never goes away.
I felt Elijah’s gaze on me, his eyes filled with a tenderness that cut through the layers of my thoughts piece by piece.
With a soft voice, he asked, “How is it inside your head these days?”
His concern melted any lingering sadness, and I managed to put on a small smile.
“I’m just thinking about what life could have been, you know?”
He tightened his hold around me, “We can’t change the past, Zanae. But I promise you that the present and the future will be worth living.”
“You always save me, Elijah,” I whispered, “I know that looking at me brings back memories you’d rather forget. But I’m so grateful for your existence.”
He paused, the corners of his lips lifting into a tender smile. “Looking at you, it’s the opposite, I don’t see my past, I see my fucking future,” he said. “Your eyes,” he continued, tracing the lines of my face, “they’re the best thing that ever happened to me.Youare the best thing that ever happened to me, Zanae Dellé.”
I never thought I could find such a beautiful soul in him when I first met him.
Sat here, on the sand, my mind drifted between the past and the present. Just a few months ago, I thought my story would end in darkness. But now, here I am, watching the sunset with a man who saved the last pieces of my soul and made them shine under his gaze.
Life has taken unexpected turns. Elijah, with all his scars, has become my source of hope, giving me a reason to embrace the possibility that life could be worth living if it’s by his side.
I’ve realized I was not ready to die, not when there was so much more to experience, so much more love to feel, not when I still wanted revenge.
I turned to him and caressed the tattoo on his neck. “Thank you,” I murmured, “You make me want to live again.”
He didn’t need grand gestures or elaborate confessions to understand me, he knew and always knew what I felt andthought. His hand reached for mine, and in that simple touch, I felt it, his pulse, the same as mine. We both shared the same heart and made it our own sanctuary. His lips met mine, softly as if he thought I could break under his arms.
He murmured in my ear, “I will make you love this life so much, that even heaven would be jealous of it,Milaya.”
I snuggled next to him, and my eyes found the two women again. I couldn’t let the memories flood my mind. But the day she died will forever be one of the most painful moments of my life.
I was at home that day, reading my book, music humming in the background, lost in the pages and lines. Life felt normal until my father, this man who rarely came into my space, walked in looking heavy. He gestured for me to sit, and his face told me something awful was coming. He said, “Luna,” paused and continued, “her dad found her lifeless, in her bathroom,” before immediately walking out as if nothing had happened.
