Chapter 24

Eloise had truly let go of Jeremy, but she never wanted him ruined. She'd believed the best path was for them to live apart, each building their own lives. She hadn't anticipated Jeremy's fierce attachment after their marriage ended. The pain he once brushed off now devoured him, magnified a thousand times, eroding his sanity. Guilt and regret had driven him to destroy himself. Noticing her silence, Gabriel sat quietly beside her. Eloise's mind wandered through her past—the intense love, the crushing heartbreak. It all seemed like a faint, fleeting veil over her heart. She leaned into Gabriel, soaking in his warmth. "Whatever you choose, I'm here," he murmured, kissing her forehead softly. Eloise returned to Northvale with Gabriel. She hadn't imagined coming back under these circumstances or seeing Jeremy like this. He was much thinner, his face drawn and weary. His dull eyes flickered with a faint spark only when he saw her. Choking up, he tried to speak, but each attempt falt