Chapter 30

Elena woke to the familiar sting in her side, a dull reminder of the bullet that had torn through her three months ago. The pain wasn’t as sharp as it had been in those first brutal weeks, but it lingered, a stubborn guest that refused to leave entirely. She shifted carefully in bed, mindful of the stitches long since removed but the scar still tender beneath her skin. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting soft patterns across the room, and for a moment, she just breathed—slow, deliberate breaths that didn’t catch in her chest anymore. Recovery was a jagged, uphill slog, but today, she felt a step closer to solid ground. Beside her, Derek slept, his arm draped protectively over her hips, avoiding the spot where the wound still ached. His presence had been her lifeline since that night—the chaos of the gunshot, the blood, the hospital lights blurring into a haze of fear. He’d stayed by her side through every surgery, every agonizing physical therapy session, every time she’d woken up sobbing from the nightmares. And now, with their baby on the way, he’d taken on a new layer of quiet determination, as if he could shield them both from the world.