Chapter 20: chapter 20

Chapter 19

The grave memories 

Bella's POV

The morning sun peeked through the heavy curtains, gently waking me from a deep sleep. Blinking away the haze, I reached out, instinctively expecting to find Sam, but his side of the bed was cold. A soft knock on the door brought me back to reality.

"Good morning, Miss Bella," Jacob greeted as he stepped in. "Mr. Sam is in his study."

I nodded, gathering myself as I dressed and made my way downstairs to the living room. Just as I settled in, Sam joined me, looking as composed and sharp as ever. I noticed a slight change in his demeanor—he seemed more serious than usual, as if the weight of the world had settled on his shoulders overnight.

"Good morning," I greeted him softly, and he offered a faint smile.

"Bella," he began, his voice measured, "I wanted to thank you for your support yesterday. It meant a lot to me."