章節 26: Chapter 26: Strength in Vulnerability
As Elliot and Alice grew closer, their relationship deepened in unexpected ways. The emotional walls they had both built over the years began to crumble, revealing layers of vulnerability neither had anticipated. Yet, despite the progress, Elliot's PTSD remained a looming shadow, always lurking beneath the surface. His nightmares were frequent, and though he rarely spoke about them, Alice could sense their effect on him.
One night, they returned from yet another quiet evening together—a simple dinner and walk through the city. Elliot had been more relaxed lately, but that night, Alice noticed something different. His shoulders were tense, his jaw clenched. He was trying to mask it, but after months of growing closer, Alice could read him better than anyone.
"Are you okay?" she asked gently as they entered their shared bedroom.
Elliot hesitated for a moment, his fingers brushing through his hair. He nodded, but his expression betrayed him. "Just a long day," he replied, trying to offer a small smile. "I'm fine."
Alice didn't push him, but as the evening went on, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was bothering him more than usual. They got ready for bed in silence, and after the lights were turned off, Alice could feel Elliot tossing and turning beside her, unable to settle.
Hours passed, and Alice was jolted awake by a soft sound—Elliot's labored breathing. Her eyes adjusted to the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains, and she saw him, still asleep, but thrashing slightly, his face contorted in distress. He was having one of his nightmares.
Without thinking, Alice reached out and touched his shoulder gently, whispering his name. "Elliot... Elliot, wake up."
His eyes snapped open, wide and panicked. For a brief moment, he looked disoriented, as if he wasn't sure where he was. But then his gaze landed on her, and he seemed to relax, though the fear still lingered in his expression.
"I'm sorry," Elliot muttered, running a hand over his face. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"You didn't wake me," Alice said softly, her voice filled with concern. "You were having a nightmare, weren't you?"
Elliot nodded, but he didn't offer any further explanation. He sat up, the sheets pooling around his waist, and stared out of the window at the dark sky.
Alice sat up beside him, not saying anything for a moment. She knew this wasn't easy for him to talk about, but she also knew he needed someone to listen, to be there for him.
"You don't have to go through this alone, Elliot," she said quietly, her hand finding his. "I'm here. I've always been here."
Elliot sighed, his grip tightening on hers. "It's not that simple, Alice," he said after a long pause. "There are things that happened during the kidnapping... things I can't forget, no matter how much I try. Every time I close my eyes, it's like I'm back there. The fear, the pain—it never really goes away."
Alice's heart ached for him, hearing the weight in his words. She could only imagine the horrors he had endured, the scars that went deeper than the ones his father had forced him to remove. But she also knew that sharing his pain might help him heal.
"You don't have to tell me everything," Alice whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder. "But when you're ready... I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."
Elliot closed his eyes, the tension in his body slowly ebbing away as he allowed himself to feel the comfort of her presence. For so long, he had believed that no one could understand what he had gone through, that he had to carry the burden alone. But Alice was different now. She wasn't the distant fiancée who had once loathed him. She had become his partner, his confidante—the one person he could rely on.
After a long moment, Elliot spoke again, his voice barely above a whisper. "There were times... during the worst of it, that I thought I wouldn't make it out alive. They took everything from me—my dignity, my hope. They wanted to break me, and for a while, I thought they had."
Alice tightened her grip on his hand, her heart breaking for the man beside her. "But they didn't," she whispered. "You're still here, Elliot. You're stronger than you know."
Elliot shook his head slightly, a bitter laugh escaping him. "It doesn't feel that way sometimes. I still wake up in a cold sweat, expecting to be back in that room, chained up, starving... And no amount of power or wealth can change that."
Alice shifted so she could look him in the eyes, her gaze steady and unwavering. "You're not the same man who was kidnapped. You've fought your way back, piece by piece. And I'm proud of you, Elliot. So proud."
Her words seemed to cut through the fog of pain that lingered in Elliot's mind. He looked at her, truly looked at her, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a flicker of something he hadn't felt in years—hope.
"I don't know what I did to deserve you," Elliot said quietly, his voice filled with emotion.
Alice smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind his ear. "You don't have to deserve me, Elliot. We're in this together."
In that moment, something shifted between them. The distance that had once defined their relationship had disappeared, replaced by a bond forged through vulnerability and shared strength. They had been brought together by circumstance, but now, they chose each other willingly.
As the night wore on, they lay back down, Alice's arms wrapped protectively around Elliot. For the first time in a long time, he allowed himself to relax, to let go of the fear and the memories that haunted him.
And as he drifted back to sleep, with Alice by his side, he realized that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as broken as he thought.
Perhaps healing wasn't about forgetting the past, but about finding someone who could help you carry the weight of it.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票