Chapter 124 We Were All Stupid People She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her fingers smearing mascara across her cheeks. “God,” she said softly. “Reese. He knew she was your wife. How could he—” She broke off with a choked sound. “How could he do that to you? To me?” “Because he could.” My voice was flat. “Because Reese always thought he could take whatever he wanted and the world would forgive him for it because he was the General's son.” Her lips trembled. “And you—why didn’t you ever tell me?” “Because you were grieving her,” I said quietly. “Because I didn’t want to break you more than you already were. I thought if I carried it alone, it would be enough.” She let out a shaky breath. “And was it?” I stared at her. “No,” I said honestly. “It’s eaten me alive every day since.” For the first time, she looked at me—really looked. Her expression was raw, stripped of anger, replaced by something closer to pity. And that hurt even more.“I never hated you, Roman. I could never hate you,” she said softly. “Even after everything. I just wanted to understand why you pulled away from everyone when she died. From me.” I looked away. “Because back then, every time I looked at you, I used to see her.” I admitted. “And I saw what she did to both of us.” Her voice broke. “She was my sister. I loved her more than anyone.” “I know.” “She was supposed to protect me, not…” “I know,” I said again, louder this time. Penny buried her face in her hands, sobbing quietly. The sound gutted me. “I'm such an idiot.” I wanted to tell her it would be okay—that somehow we’d survive this, that Naomi would never have to know, that maybe forgiveness existed somewhere out there. But I couldn’t say any of that. Not when I didn’t believe it myself. After a long stretch of silence, I finally spoke. “You should go, Penny.” She didn’t move. “Please,” I added. “Before I say something else we both regret. You're my friend. And I value our friendship. So please...” She stood shakily, wiping at her eyes. Her blouse was damp where her tears had soaked through. For a moment, I thought she might say something cruel—something to make me hurt the way she did. But instead, she just looked at me. Her gaze was distant, and almost unfocused. “I don’t even know who I’m supposed to be angry at,” she whispered. “Her, him, you… myself.” “There’s no right person to blame,” I said quietly. “We were all just stupid people who made stupid choices and loved stupid people.” Penny let out a weak, bitter laugh. “That’s one way to put it.” She picked up her purse from the stool beside her, fumbling with the strap. At the door, she paused. “You really loved her, didn’t you?” I hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. More than I should have.” “And she loved Reese.” “I guess she did.” She swallowed hard, nodding slowly. “Then none of us ever stood a chance.”She turned toward the door, and for a brief moment, I caught a glimpse of the girl she used to be years ago—the one who smiled easily, who believed people were good. That girl was gone the moment she took up law. “Penny—” I called softly. She stopped but didn’t turn. “I didn’t mean to hurt you,” I said. “I know.” Her voice wavered. “But you did anyway.” Then she walked out, the door clicking shut behind her. The silence that followed was unbearable. I leaned against the counter, staring at the space where she’d stood just moments ago. Her perfume still lingered faintly in the air, mixed with the scent of pasta gone cold. I wanted to smash something—to release the ache pressing against my chest—but instead, I just sank to the floor where she had been, elbows on my knees, palms over my face. For the first time in years, I let myself feel the weight of everything I’d buried: Dahlia’s betrayal, Reese’s silence, Penny’s broken expression, and Naomi—sweet, tiny Naomi—whose weight I would never feel in my arms again. She was gone. The only piece of Dahlia I’d tried to protect, gone because fate decided that I’d already had enough chances to save something.The thought gutted me. A faint vibration broke the silence. My phone lit up on the counter, cutting through the darkness. I pushed myself up and glanced at the screen. Savannah: Done in New Hope. Can’t wait to be back to you. I love you. For a long moment, I just stared at it. The words were warm, simple—everything this house wasn’t anymore. Everything I no longer felt worthy of. Savannah didn’t know the full story. She didn’t know about Dahlia, or Reese, or Naomi’s truth. She only knew the man I’d become after I’d buried them all—the normal, guarded version who smiled through the wreckage. I typed a reply, then erased it. My fingers hovered above the screen again, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, I placed the phone face down on the counter and turned off the kitchen lights. Outside, it had darkened tremendously. Rain had started to fall—soft at first, then heavier. The kind that washes away everything, except the things that matter most. I walked to the window and watched the water streak down the glass. Somewhere out there, Penny was probably crying in her car, and Reese was still pretending he didn’t destroy everything he touched. And Naomi… Naomi was just a name on a gravestone now. Maybe that was the only truth that mattered anymore. I exhaled slowly, letting the ache settle into something quieter, something almost numb. The house was dark, the storm outside loud enough to drown the thoughts that wouldn’t stop spinning. When the thunder rolled, I whispered to the empty room, “It’s over.” But deep down, I knew it wasn’t. Because no matter how far you run, the past always knows where to find you. And today, it had found me again.