章 75: The Shock

"Sometimes, I wish things were simpler," Alex murmured, his voice barely a whisper as he sat by the lake, watching the water ripple under the morning sun. The golden light danced across the surface, calm and gentle, a stark contrast to the storm raging inside him.

Sarah sat beside him, her eyes fixed on the same spot. "Do you really mean that, Alex?" she asked, her tone soft but probing.

Alex clenched his jaw, uncertain how much to reveal. Everything he had held back, every feeling he'd tried to bury, seemed to rise to the surface around her. She had this way of pulling the truth out of him, and it scared him—more than anything.

"I don't know anymore," he admitted, his voice rough with frustration. "I thought I had control. That I could handle everything on my own, without… without needing anyone."

"But you do need people, Alex," Sarah whispered, her gaze unwavering. "You can't carry this alone. No one can."