Forever Yours

CHAPTER 6

What's that for?

The drive to the beach was peaceful, a kind of silence that didn't need filling. Henry's dog, Luna, panted contentedly in the backseat, her head occasionally popping up to look out the window. The gentle hum of the car and the soft murmur of the radio created a soothing atmosphere, giving Emily the space to just exist. The rhythmic motion of the car and the familiar sounds allowed her mind to rest for the first time in what felt like forever. She stared out the window, watching the rolling waves and the bright blue sky, letting the scene wash over her, momentarily pushing away the thoughts that usually consumed her.

Henry didn't speak much, but he didn't need to. His presence was enough, and in a way, it was exactly what Emily needed. He had this quiet way of understanding her without saying a word, a quality she deeply appreciated. She hadn't realized how much she'd come to rely on him—his quiet support, his gentle companionship.

When they arrived at the beach, Luna wasted no time. She bounded toward the water with infectious enthusiasm, her paws kicking up sand as she barked happily and splashed in the shallows. Henry chuckled, watching his dog with a soft smile before turning his attention to Emily.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice gentle but with a note of concern.

Emily nodded, giving him a small, appreciative smile. "Yeah, I am. Thanks for bringing me here. I needed this," she admitted, her voice almost drowned out by the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.

They began walking along the beach, their feet sinking into the cool sand as the breeze danced around them. The ocean stretched out endlessly before them, a vast, calming presence. Emily found herself falling into step with Henry easily, the silence between them more comforting than anything else. He didn't ask her to talk, didn't pry into the things she wasn't ready to discuss, and she loved that about him. He let her move at her own pace, never forcing her to confront the painful memories that lingered beneath the surface.

For a long while, they walked in peaceful silence, the world narrowing down to just the sound of the ocean and their quiet footsteps on the sand. It felt like an escape, a brief moment where she could breathe without the weight of the past pressing down on her.

After some time, they decided to grab lunch at a nearby diner. It was a small, cozy place, tucked away near the beach with large windows that let in the bright sunlight. The smell of sizzling burgers and fresh fries filled the air, and Emily felt her shoulders relax slightly. The warmth of the place and the comfortable atmosphere made it feel like a safe haven, a break from everything weighing on her mind.

But the sense of peace was short-lived.

As they settled into a booth near the back, Emily's gaze drifted around the room—and froze. Her heart plummeted into her stomach. Across the diner, only a few tables away, Ryan and Katherine sat, completely absorbed in each other. Ryan's arm was draped lazily over the back of the booth, his fingers playing with a strand of Katherine's hair as they kissed, oblivious to the world around them.

The sight of them together, so casual, so intimate, made Emily's skin crawl. Her body went rigid, and she felt the air in the diner grow stifling, suffocating.

Suddenly, memories she had tried so hard to bury came rushing back. Ryan's hands on her, demanding more than she was willing to give. The guilt he used to lay on her shoulders when she said no, as though it was her fault they hadn't taken things further. The pain of his betrayal, finding out he had cheated on her—had it been because she hadn't given him what he wanted?

Was it all her fault?

Her chest tightened, and her pulse raced. The scene Ryan hit her played on a loop in her mind, the shock, the hurt, the disbelief. She could still feel the sting of his slap, the way it had shattered the fragile trust she had placed in him. How could she have loved someone like that? How had she let it go so far?