The mansion's side garden was the only place Aria could breathe in peace.
The fresh scent of the flowers, the sound of water trickling from the small fountain, the shade of the trees—everything seemed to offer her shelter from the chaos seething within her mind.
But that morning, no amount of beauty was enough to silence her heart.
She had run away from him.
Since that night, her life had become a whirlwind. She couldn't sleep properly. She couldn't eat properly. Even her simple tasks—cleaning the hallways, carrying the water, tending to the sheets—became as heavy as chains.
And it wasn't because of Damon himself. Not exactly.
It was because of her.
For the weakness she'd shown.
"I was... an idiot..." she murmured, clutching the empty bucket to her lap.
She sat on one of the stone benches in the garden, letting her eyes wander among the flowers. The blush returned to her cheeks just remembering.
His warm skin.
His strong arms wrapped around her.
