AMANDA'S POV
In the endless darkness, I heard a voice.
Familiar. Desperate. Pulling me back from somewhere I couldn't name.
"Amanda. Come back to me."
I tried to open my eyes. I tried to find him. But my body wouldn't obey.
Then I felt it—softness against my lips. Gentle. Warm. And something stirred in my chest, something I thought had died weeks ago.
I still couldn't move.
But then—wetness. Warm and salty, dripping onto my cheek.
Tears?
No man would cry for me. Dad was gone. Max was too young—when he cried, he sobbed loudly, without shame or restraint. This was different. This was quiet. Broken.
And then a name surfaced in my mind.
Donovan.
I didn't want to believe it. He'd rejected me. He'd chosen Gloria, over and over, in front of everyone. He didn'
