Karl's POV
The pieces are starting to fit together in my mind, forming a picture that makes more sense than coincidence ever could.
All the turmoil we've weathered, the heartbreak, the separations, the way destiny seemed to tear us apart only to weave us back together, none of it was arbitrary. I'm convinced now that every twist and turn has been leading us exactly where we belong, even when the journey felt merciless.
Sally watches me with those deep eyes that hold both curiosity and unwavering resolve, and I feel that magnetic force again, the same one that grabbed hold of me years ago and refused to release its grip. It's not mystical or otherworldly, it's purely her. My thumb traces the curve of her cheek, and when she melts into my touch, that unconscious response sends waves of emotion through me that I wasn't prepared for.
"You don't realize the effect you have on me," I whisper against her skin.
