The evening stars

Now and forever

Alex carefully laid Sophie down on the bed, trying not to touch her injured leg. The house was quiet, with only the faint flicker of streetlights breaking through the curtains. He took out the first aid kit and, leaning over her leg, began to carefully treat the wound. Sophie watched his actions, feeling tears involuntarily streaming down her cheeks. Her emotions took over — fear, pain, and shock from what had happened still held her tightly.

— I'm very scared, — Sophie whispered, looking at Alex.

He lifted his gaze, seeing her confusion, and gently pressed her head to his chest.

— Shh... it's all in the past now. You are safe, — he whispered, stroking her head. His voice was calm. Alex was nearby, and that gave her some comfort, but inside, the storm was still raging.

Sophie sighed, pulling away from him, and met his gaze.

— What will happen now? — she asked with a trembling voice.

Alex, without stopping to tend to the wound, calmly replied:

— I have already called the police. They will arrest him, and you will never see him again.

Her heart tightened. She knew that Oliver would no longer harm her, but the feeling of anxiety still tormented her.

Sophie looked at Alex again, her voice trembling:

— Rachel saw everything... She saw us.

Alex froze for a moment, his gaze became serious, but he did not look away from her.

— So be it. That's no longer important, — he said firmly. His words sounded like a final punctuation mark. He understood that their secret was out, but now that Sophie was safe, he knew he could no longer hide behind lies and masks.

Sophie, having calmed down a bit, struggled to open her eyes and looked at Alex.

— How will she react? — her voice trembled, and there was confusion in it.

Alex sat down next to her on the edge of the bed, taking her hand in his.

— I don't know, — he answered honestly, squeezing her fingers. — But right now, it doesn't matter. The main thing is that you are okay.

Sophie sighed softly and turned away, looking out the window.

— She didn't deserve this, — she whispered, feeling a growing sense of guilt.

Alex frowned, but he understood what she was talking about.

— No one planned for everything to turn out this way, — he said, gently stroking her hand. — But life doesn't always turn out the way we want. Rachel... She is a smart woman. I don't know what she will say or do, but I'm ready to talk to her. We will figure it out.

Sophie frowned, fearing to imagine how this conversation might go.

— Do you think she will forgive? — she asked, gazing into his face.

Alex replied softly, but confidently:

— I don't know. But right now, all that matters is you. I'll take care of it. You don't need to worry about her, although I understand that it's difficult.

Sophie closed her eyes, feeling tears welling up again.

— I don't want to hurt anyone, — she whispered, trying to cope with the overwhelming emotions.

Alex leaned closer, stroking her cheek.

— No one wanted this. But sometimes... life just goes its own way. We must accept this and move on.

Sophie sniffled, feeling the warmth of his hand on her face.

— I'm just afraid that she will hate me, — she said quietly, gripping his hand with trembling hands.

Alex squeezed her palm a little tighter.

— It's not your fault. And not mine. We just found ourselves in a difficult situation. Everything will be sorted out.

Sophie turned away from the window and looked at him again, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

— Do you not regret that everything has gone so far?

Alex, after a moment's hesitation, looked her straight in the eyes.

— No, — he said firmly. — I cannot regret loving you.

These words made her freeze. She felt her heart start to race. But at the same time, she realized that their relationship had destroyed the lives of other people.

— Will you stay with me tonight? — Sophie asked quietly, weakly lifting her eyes to Alex. In her voice, there was fear and at the same time hope. She was afraid of being alone, afraid of finding herself without his protection again, especially after everything that had happened.

Alex looked at her, his face softened with compassion. He ran his hand through her hair, gently brushing a strand away from her face.

— Of course, — he replied without hesitation. — Now and forever.

These words sounded like a promise, like a vow that he would be there, no matter what. Sophie, letting out a sigh of relief, pressed herself against his chest, finding comfort in his warmth and breath. Alex settled at the head of the bed, embracing it in a way that allowed her to feel his presence nearby. He gently kissed her on the crown of her head, feeling her tense body gradually start to relax.

Sophie laid her head on his chest, her breathing became steadier, and she quietly whispered:

— Thank you... I love you too.

Alex gently stroked her back, continuing to feel the pulsating energy of their connection. His touches were soft and soothing.

— Sweet dreams, — he whispered, — I'm with you.

Sophie closed her eyes, feeling his heartbeat beneath her ear. It was that moment when they both found a brief refuge from everything that surrounded them. The silence of the night and their closeness brought long-awaited peace.

In a few minutes, feeling his warmth and strong embrace, Sophie fell asleep, knowing that he would be by her side. Alex, holding her in his arms, also closed his eyes, feeling that for the first time in a long while, they both managed to find at least a little peace.