Chapter 66- Torn Between Two Loves
Chapter 66- Torn Between Two Loves
Pain stabbed at Audrey's chest as the weight of her emotions bore down on her. Tears threatened to spill over, but she fought them back, blinking rapidly. She couldn’t keep living in two worlds, trying to balance Daniel’s life with hers and the life she had discovered with Stone. It was impossible, wasn’t it?
The sudden shift in her emotions didn’t go unnoticed. Guinevere's gaze softened with concern as she crouched down in front of Audrey. Gently, she took both of Audrey's trembling hands in hers, cradling them in her lap like fragile treasures.
“Hey, hey,” Guinevere's voice was soft and soothing, like a balm to Audrey's tortured mind. “I know you’re feeling overwhelmed, but everything will get better. I promise. We’ll give you all the time you need to adjust, but right now, we just need to focus on keeping you safe.”
Audrey could feel the sincerity in Gwen’s words, could feel the compassion and understanding flowing through their touch. The pain and guilt that twisted inside her heart only deepened. She felt horrible. She shouldn’t have kissed Stone. She shouldn’t have these confusing feelings. As many times as she reprimanded herself for it, the feelings wouldn’t go away. They wouldn’t stop.
Why wasn’t it Daniel’s face that haunted her thoughts? Why wasn’t it Dan’s touch, Dan’s kiss that filled her dreams? Why did it have to be this ancient, eight-hundred-year-old man who stirred something deep within her, tormenting her every waking moment?
She’d never felt this way before—so conflicted, so torn. She had never been unfaithful, never questioned her love for someone, and now she hated herself for the chaos she had created.
Guinevere's eyes softened with understanding. “It’s because of Daniel, isn’t it?”
Audrey's chest constricted as she nodded. She didn’t want to admit it, but the truth was undeniable. She loved Daieln. She had loved him for years. But at the same time, a part of her heart ached with the thought of leaving Stone behind. How could she abandon the life she had built with Daniel? How could she walk away from everything she knew?
The thought of being by Daniel’s side, holding his hand, whispering sweet words of love to him as he recovered from his injuries, tore at her soul. She was supposed to be there for him, helping him heal, not sitting here, in this strange house, surrounded by strangers.
And yet here she was—like a traitor, she thought. Instead of being there for Daniel, she was here, struggling with emotions that didn’t make sense.
Squeezing her eyes shut, Audrey lowered her head, the weight of her guilt and confusion pressing down on her. It was as though a noose had wrapped around her neck, tightening with every breath, suffocating her from the inside. She grasped at the fibers of her emotions, trying to break free, but nothing seemed to ease the pain.
Guinevere closed her eyes, her face creasing in sympathy. She took a deep breath before she pressed their hands to her own forehead, as if gathering strength before speaking again.
“I can’t tell you what to do,” Guinevere said softly. “The decision is yours alone to make. But I can tell you that if you leave us, if you leave now, there will be an emptiness here again. A hole that’s been there for over a century, that will reopen. But we… especially Dad… we just want you to be happy. We want what’s best for you.”
Audrey felt the weight of Gwen’s words sink deep into her chest, and a shared sorrow seemed to pass between them, tightening around Audrey's heart. The choice should be clear—she knew it should be—but it wasn’t. She didn’t know Stone well enough, even if he was her soulmate. She couldn’t just leave Daniel—her love, her partner—for someone she barely knew, no matter how strong the feelings were.
Guinevere gently pulled her hands back, rolling back on her heels as she stood. Audrey couldn’t bring herself to look up. The whirlwind of thoughts in her mind was too much.
“Can I get you something to eat?” Guinevere asked, her voice light, though it betrayed a hint of concern. “We have spam and jerky in the safe room.”
AubreeAudrey shook her head, still too tightly wound to consider food. Her stomach churned, her head pounded with the pressure of her inner turmoil, and her heart—her heart felt as though it were hanging by a thread, struggling to hold itself together. It was like a part of her was breaking with every passing second.
Why did everything have to be so difficult?
She appreciated Gwen’s patience, the understanding in her friend’s eyes. They weren’t rushing her. But Audrey was so torn. She couldn’t just walk away from Daniel, not when she still loved him. She couldn’t simply abandon the life they had built together, despite the undeniable attraction she felt toward Stone. The thought of leaving her old world behind, of turning her back on everything she knew, was too much to bear.
But the truth was, her world had already changed. The moment Stone had entered her life, everything had shifted. Even before learning the truth about him, before discovering the deep connection they shared, he had already begun to change her in ways she couldn’t ignore. She couldn’t go back to the life she had known with Daniel. It was no longer possible.
No matter who she chose, someone was going to get hurt. Daniel would feel betrayed. Stone would be crushed.
But she couldn’t keep worrying about their feelings. She had to focus on what was best for her—even if it hurt.
The more she thought about it, the more she knew what she had to do.
“I’m tired,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Guinevere nodded, her hands still gently holding Audrey's. She urged Audrey to her feet, and though Audrey's body felt heavy with exhaustion and indecision, she relented. She allowed Guinevere to lead her upstairs, unable to fight the wave of fatigue that had overtaken her.
At least for tonight, she could stop thinking and let herself rest.