51

Nova's POV

Diego fell silent, his expression changing with my words. I could see the struggle within him—between anger and deep pain.

“You don’t understand,” he said, his voice softening slightly. “She’s gone. She’s no longer here.”

“I know,” I replied slowly. “But she left a legacy so strong. She loved you with all her heart, and that will never fade.”

Diego looked at me, and in his gaze, I could feel the walls he had built beginning to crack. “She always felt isolated. I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes,” he said, his voice now trembling.

“You won’t repeat those mistakes,” I said firmly. “You are a different person, Diego. You have the strength to love and protect. That is the legacy she gave you.”

He seemed ready to lash out at me again, but as I held out the photo, his expression changed. He stared at the picture for a long time, his breath becoming uneven.

“She… wrote everything for you. Even until the end of her life.”

Diego didn’t say anything. I slowly pulled the book back from his hands, opened to the marked page, and began to read,

“I fear my child will grow up like his father. I fear he will think love is about control, not protection. But every time he holds my hand, every time he cries in my embrace… I know he is different. He will grow with scars… but I hope he will learn to heal, not to spread those wounds.”

My voice trembled as I read, and I saw tears starting to flow down Diego’s cheeks. He was silent, trapped in a flood of memories.

“She knew you could be different, Diego,” I continued softly. “She believed in you, even when the world offered no hope.”

I stopped reading. When I glanced at Diego, his eyes were glistening. He turned his face away, roughly wiping his tears.

“Why are you… why are you reading that?”

“Because I know you need it. And… because I need it too.”

He looked at me, and for the first time since we married, I felt like I was truly breaking through the cold layers within him. We stood in silence. The book still clutched to my chest, as if holding all the memories and hopes we had unveiled.

In this small, quiet room, I felt a profound change. Not just for Diego, but for me as well. We were both at a turning point where the past and future met.

“Liora always wanted you to know that love is about courage,” I said gently. “She believed in you, and now it’s time for you to believe in yourself.”

Diego nodded, though there was still doubt in his eyes. “I want to be the man she hoped for. But sometimes, I feel unworthy.”

“You are more than worthy, Diego. You have everything it takes to be a good man. You just need to give yourself a chance,” I replied, trying to encourage him.

Diego slowly moved closer. His hand reached out, not to grab the book, but to touch my cheek. He wiped my tears with his thumb, his eyes still somber but gentle.

“I don’t know why you want to stay here, Nova. Everyone is against you. Even I… I also…” his voice was hoarse.

“I ask myself the same thing every night,” I replied softly. “But now I know. Because I see hope in you. Because our child needs you. And… because I don’t want to give up on something that could be beautiful.”

Diego looked deeply into my eyes, as if searching for certainty. “But all of this is hard. Sometimes I feel incapable.”

“We all have fears, Diego. But we don’t have to face them alone. We can do this together,” I said, trying to provide encouragement.

He nodded, and even though there was still doubt on his face, I could feel the tension between us starting to melt. “You’re right. Maybe I need to try to believe, not just in myself, but in us.”

He stared at me for a long time. Then, without a word, he pulled me into an embrace. The hug was not passionate, not hurried. Just warmth that I thought I would never find from him. And somehow, that embrace made me feel more loved than anything else.

We stood in that old room, holding each other like two souls that had finally found a little light in the long darkness. The dusty walls and forgotten items seemed to bear silent witness to this moment, holding all the hopes and longings we had experienced.

Maybe we wouldn’t be perfect. Maybe our love would continue to be tested. But for the first time, I believed—we would be okay. Because love is not just about feelings, love is about the courage to stay and fight, even when there are many uncertainties ahead.

The embrace felt long. And for the first time, I didn’t want to let go quickly. His chest was warm, so solid, but not intimidating like before. His breath was heavy in my ear, and his fingers slowly wrapped around my waist, as if afraid I would leave again. In that moment, all doubts and pain seemed to evaporate, replaced by a deep sense of safety.

I melted into that embrace, feeling every steady heartbeat of his. Each beat seemed to remind me that we were one, inseparable by time or hardship.

“You’re not going to go to Scarlet Ridge again, are you?” he whispered softly, almost like a broken and anxious heart merging into one tone.

I nodded slightly in his embrace. “No… I won’t go without your permission.”

“It’s not about permission.” He pulled me back slightly to look into my eyes. “I’m just… afraid.”

I gazed into his face. This was the first time I saw Diego express his fear so clearly. Not in the form of anger or sharp commands. But in a form that was… human. A man who was also lost and trying to hold on just like me.

“I’m afraid too,” I admitted honestly.