Lying together like this, simply talking in the quiet darkness, reminded me of childhood days with Bevis... The musty scent of old blankets mixed with the faint aroma of candle wax, transporting me back to simpler times when our biggest worry was being caught sneaking extra desserts from the kitchen.
"Margie, Bevis loved you more in the past." Rion's voice was low and tender, filling the dim room like warm honey. His fingers gently twisted through my hair, as if handling something fragile—a precious artifact that might crumble to dust at any moment. "After you left for the Baron's estate, he was tormented—unable to accept his feelings for you." The mattress dipped slightly as he shifted closer, his breath stirring the loose strands near my ear. "To prove he didn't care, he stayed with Catherine and kept Judy close at hand, like some twisted penance."
