Elena''s brows draw together. "Okay. That''s good. I mean, messy, but good. I can''t imagine a rtionship like that would have worked out long term."


    I shrug. "I wasn''t thinking long term when I went into it at first. I just wanted to feel good then and there, that was all that mattered to me."


    "You''re thinking long term now?" She asks, voice soft and kind.


    Iugh softly. "I think so."


    She tilts her head, studying me. "You''re not gonna backtrack on Italy are you?"


    My throat tightens, and I bite the inside of my cheek, blinking hard against the sting behind my eyes. "No, I''m going."


    A pause.


    "I love him, Elena. I love Zaid so much it hurts. But I want to be the kind of woman who deserves him. So I''m going to find myself. Heal. Grow. Come back whole. Come back free. And when I do, I''ll love him with everything I''ve got. Like he deserves."


    Elena stares at me for a beat, then pulls me into a hug, dish soap and all.


    “Good,” she whispers in my ear. “Because I''ve never seen anyone look at anyone the way he looks at you."


    I nod into her shoulder, heart full to bursting, already counting down the days.


    "I''m proud of the steps you''ve taken in therapy and in your life as a grown woman. Your dad would have been proud of you."


    That makes the tears fall without reservation. "I miss him."


    Elenaughs, broken by her own cries. "I see him every time I look at you. He''s inside of you, I can feel it."


    Elena''s arms are warm around me, her chin tucked on my shoulder like she''s trying to hold all my broken pieces in ce. I didn''t mean to cry this much. But the week, the house, the weight of everything, it all just cracks me open.


    I pull back slightly, just enough to nce over Elena''s shoulder.


    Aiden stands there.


    His eyes widen when he sees me crying, his mouth parting like he wants to say something, but he hesitates, foot already retreating.


    Elena lets me go.


    She turns, sees him, and without a word, reaches up to wipe the tears off my cheeks, then presses a soft kiss to my forehead.


    "I''ll give you two a minute," she says gently. And just like that, she walks out.


    Aiden steps in slowly, his hands shoved into the pockets of his hoodie. "You okay?"


    I nod even though my eyes still sting. "Yeah, we were just talking about things. My dad."


    Aiden''s face falls at that. His jaw tenses, then loosens again as he steps forward and wraps his arms around me.


    Chapter 248.


    I melt into his chest without thinking.


    "I love you," he says. "I just, I want you to know that. I will always love you."


    My heart squeezes.


    "I''m not angry," he continues. "That things are over between us, but I''m gonna miss us. A lot."


    I nod against him, arms wrapping tightly


    nd his waist. "Me, too


    He pulls back just enough to press his forehead to mine. We stay like that, breathing each other in, not needing to say anything


    else.


    Then he kisses me. Just once.


    Tears prick again, but I smile. “You''reing back for Thanksgiving


    "Yeah. And you bettere visit when I start ying," he says, brushing his thumb across my cheek.


    I nod. "Promise."


    We step apart slowly, hands lingering for a second before we walk back into the living room together. Elena and Noah are getting their things, saying goodnight to Zaid.


    They hug us next and we usher them out the door.


    Then Aiden heads upstairs to grab his things. Zaid and I make our way to the car.


    In less than an hour, we''ll be at the airport.


    And just like that, another chapter quietly begins to close.


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