Chapter 101. Never Again

Ally's POV

I note the subtle clench of his jaw, a silent vow against the tyranny of his twin's shadow.

"Never again, Ally," he says, reading my thoughts as though they were etched into the marble beneath our feet. "You will never have to endure such suffering."

I believe him. Every word, every look, every unspoken pledge hanging between us in the charged air. For in his presence, the scars of the past do not ache with regret but heal with the salve of newfound hope. Elliot Chambers, with eyes like the stormy sea and a heart fiercely protective, offers a future devoid of the shadows that once clung to my soul.

"Then let us begin," I say, my voice steady, my resolve unwavering, as we turn to face the officiant.

The ceremony unfolds, each word a step away from the darkness of yesterday and toward the dawn of tomorrow. Elliot's hand in mine is a testament to the strength that we share, a bond unbreakable, born of