Chapter 23

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear Dominic approach until he settled beside her on the rock, his presence calm but steady.

“Hey,” he murmured, breaking her from her thoughts.

She smiled softly, closing the book and resting her hands on its cover. “Hey, yourself. Didn’t realize anyone was here.”

“Neither did I,” Dominic admitted, glancing around the tranquil scene. “This place… it’s like nothing else. Perfect place to escape.”

“Exactly what I needed,” Zoe said, her gaze wandering back to the koi fish drifting in lazy circles. “There’s just… so much. Everything Elara told me. I still don’t know what it means. Or what I’m supposed to do.”

Dominic watched her with a gentle expression. “Maybe you don’t have to figure it all out right now. You’re already doing more than enough just by being here. You’re strong, Zoe. Even if you don’t see it yet.”

A faint smile played on her lips, and she felt some of the tension ease from her shoulders. “It helps hearing that.”

They sat in a comfortable