“For you.”
He took one slow step forward — chains no longer binding him, but memory of them still lingering in the air.
“To give you the satisfaction of revenge. To let you believe you’d won.”
His gaze locked onto mine.
“I was willing to rot in that cell if it eased your pain. I endured the interrogations. The isolation. The... unpleasantries.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
A flicker of something dark passed through his eyes — experiences he didn’t want to describe.
“I accepted punishment.”
His voice lowered.
“But now?”
He looked at the baby in my arms.
“You have my child.”
His expression shifted.
“Our family.”
His eyes softened — vulnerability surfacing beneath layers of dominance.
“How can I stay away?”
His hands flexed slightly at his sides.
“I want to be here for her first smile.”
His gaze stayed fixed on the tiny face pressed against my chest.
“Her first word.”
“Her first step.”
He swallowed.
“I’ll submit to whatever penance you demand. I know the depth of my sins against you.”
His eyes met mine again.
“But not from a cell.”
The conviction in his voice was absolute.
Petros stepped forward slightly — posture steady, loyalty unmistakable.
“He’s right, Elena.”
I glanced at him sharply.
“You underestimated him again.”
