Chapter 515

Eva let out a small, humorless laugh, shaking her head. “It’s not as impressive as it sounds, trust me,” she said, voice bitter. “Some days, it feels more like a burden than anything else. I still carry those memories, the things I did, the person I became… even now, it’s hard to separate myself from all of that.”

Just as she said that finish, she felt Damien squeeze her hand, his grip gentle but unwavering. “But you came back,” he murmured, his tone carrying a quiet intensity that drew her gaze back to him. “You didn’t stay in that darkness. You returned, you’re here, and that matters. Whatever happened in the past, whatever choices you made… you’re here now.”

She searched his face, trying to find the catch, the hint of judgment or doubt that she expected, but there was none. His gaze was as steady as ever, holding her together when she felt she might fall apart.

“You’re stronger than you think, Eva,” he continued, his voice low. “No one would go through what you did and come back as