, confession, counseling. Yet none of it had held his attention in the way it normally did. His mind kept drifting back to Cersei, to their last conversation, to he

part of him wanted to reach out to her, to hold her, to promise that everything would be okay. But the vows he had taken-the promises he had made to God and to the Church-stood

before. Every other parishioner he had helped, every other soul he had guided, had come to him for guidance, for solace. But

g him from his spiraling thoughts. I

You okay? You know

trust without hesitation. But even now, as he looked at those words, he hesitated. What could he say? How could he explain the mess he was in? How could he

as about to send. No, he couldn't share this with Lorenzo. Not yet. It was

to deepen, the stillness stretching out as he stared at the walls, wondering where his life was headed.

d his body aching from the internal battle. The streetlights flickered above him, casting long shadows on the pavement. It was the ti

en that h

yes scanning the street in that familiar, hesitant way. The sight of her made Father Hart's heart race. She was always beautiful, but tonig

approach her? Would it be too much, too soon? And yet, in

er. When she saw him, her expression softened, but there was a

a mix of relief and uncertainty.

ed softly. "I didn't expect to f

eyes. "I needed to get away. There's been so much g

er into someone who wore her pain on the surface, even when she tried to hide it. He could see it i

" he asked gently. "Mayb

ing casting a soft glow around them. Father Hart's heart pounded as he watched her, the air between them charged with unspoken emotions. It had been so

s hands resting on the

ared, Father," she said quietly, her voice cracking with emotion. "I don't know how to escape this life I've been living. It's all I've

"You won't fail. It won't be easy, but you've already taken the harde

t to be the person I've always been. I don't want to hurt people anymore. But I don't know

that she felt pressured by his kindness and his care. She needed to hear something else, som

r even at all. What I care about is you finding peace-real peace, not just the kind that comes from pretending. I wa

eeks, she seemed to exhale, as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She

. She was looking for a lifeline. And someho