At that moment, Mark took in a deep breath, a heavy one. His chest lifted slowly, then dropped with a quiet sigh as he began walking toward Cecilia. His steps were slow but sure, and there was something different about the way he moved like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. His heart was loud in his ears, but he didn't stop. Not this time.
Cecilia stood still, her eyes locked on him, her hands gently resting on Evelyn's shoulders. She looked calm on the outside, but deep down, she was tense. Her fingers pressed a little tighter into Evelyn's arms as Mark got closer.
When he stopped right in front of her, he didn't speak right away. His lips parted, but no words came out. He closed his eyes for a second, gathered whatever courage he still had, then finally spoke.
