Zoe let a tear slip down in silence and, unable to contain the emotion, leaned in to embrace her. They stayed that way, holding each other, wrapped in the night breeze.On the other side of the house, in Otto’s office, father and son sat in leather armchairs. The bottle of whiskey between them was merely decorative, since Arthur was no longer drinking.Otto watched him in silence, a discreet smile on his face.“So… she came back home,” Otto said, with a tone of hopeful surprise.“She did,” Arthur confirmed, staring at the empty glass in his hands. “And now I carry the weight of not being allowed to make a single mistake. Not even a millimeter, Dad.”“You already made mistakes, Arthur. What defines a man is what he does with them. And so far, you’ve been worthy of the second chance you were given.”Arthur lifted his eyes.“I’m trying. More than ever. After the accident… I felt like nothing. A burden. The man who lost the woman he loved, who betrayed her, who ended up stuck in a wheelch

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, something different happened. With tenderness and restrained desire, Arthur knew exactly how to approach her. And Zoe gave in. They made love—for the second time since getting back together. It was intense, quiet, full of feeling. Afterward, they fell asleep. But Arthur couldn’t sleep for long.Dawn was breaking. Zoe slept deeply. The sheet covered her body only to the waist, revealing her bare back. She lay on her side, her loose hair spread across the pillow. Arthur, seated in his wheelchair beside the bed, watched her in silence. His eyes traced every line of her, and he let his thoughts wander.It isn’t easy… but it’s worth every second. When will you forgive me? When will you be able to say “I love you”? I miss that.Carefully, he moved closer to the bed, adjusting the orthopedic cushions so he could lie on his side. He propped himself on one elbow, resting his head on his hand, while with the other he began to gently caress her back. His fi

Two months had passed since the morning when Zoe froze, unable to give herself to Arthur. In that moment, Arthur realized that love alone was not enough—what they needed was to face the trauma that had piled up between them with the help of a professional. That was when he suggested couples therapy. Zoe resisted at first, but eventually gave in. And from then on, week after week, they sat across from the therapist, laying bare their pain, resentment, and fears.Every session felt like reopening old wounds, exposing what had been said—and what had been swallowed. They cried. They screamed. Zoe admitted that sometimes she wanted to kill him. Arthur tried to stay calm, but he cried too, blamed himself, defended himself. There were nights when he woke up to the muffled sound of Zoe’s sobs, her back turned to him in bed. He watched her in silence, torn between the fear of losing her again and the certainty that he was doing everything he could.It was during one of those particularly inten

She stood up again, this time without resistance. She was still smiling, but her heart raced out of rhythm—a mix of nervousness and anticipation that made her feel alive in a different way. She lifted the glass dome that covered the two cups of chocolate mousse topped with fresh strawberries. Her hands trembled slightly.Arthur watched her in silence, his eyes following every movement as if she were a rare dance performed only for him. There was respect in that quiet admiration, but also a restrained, attentive desire. It wasn’t haste. It was hunger. Hunger for her.When Zoe placed the cups on the table, Arthur reached out and lightly touched her wrist, making her pause for a second.“You’re exactly like you were on our first time…” he said softly, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. “It’s good to know I still make you nervous.”Zoe slowly lifted her eyes, caught by the velvety tone of his voice. She felt her face warm, but refused to give in so easily. She smiled sideways, try

Arthur looked at Zoe as if he were still trying to process everything. His eyes were wet with tears, but the light in them went beyond emotion—it was pure awe.“I… I don’t…” he stammered, unable to form a sentence right away. He took a deep breath, as if trying to anchor himself in reality. “I never expected this. I thought this moment would never come.”Carefully, he picked up the book again and pressed it against his chest.“You have no idea how much this means to me,” he continued, his voice breaking. “Zoe… this is everything. Everything.”He lowered his gaze to the book and stayed silent for a few seconds, as if he needed to be sure it was real. Then he lifted his eyes to her again, visibly moved.“Honestly… I thought I had lost you,” he said, his eyes locked on hers, his voice filled with truth. “Even after everything I’ve been doing…”He paused, breathing deeply. The book was still held tightly against his chest, as if he feared it might slip from his hands and take that chance