Chapter 35

The road stretched on endlessly, an expanse of asphalt cutting through the darkened landscape like a scar in the earth. The engine hummed steadily, its noise a constant companion in the silence that had settled between Elena and Derek. The only sound to break the monotony was the occasional hum of the tires against the road or the distant flicker of a passing car. The air outside was thick with the salt of the ocean, the night sharp and cold. Elena sat with her eyes fixed ahead, her thoughts swirling in a storm of confusion and frustration. She had hoped, maybe foolishly, that when the moment came, it would be easier. But it wasn’t. Nothing had been easy between her and Derek since everything had fallen apart. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her, but she didn’t dare meet his eyes. Not yet.