Chapter 65

　　Serena

　　The walls of our home seemed to close in as I waited for Damon to return. My nerves were on edge, suffocating me with each passing moment. The clock's monotonous ticking echoed my growing unease. I needed to reach out, to let him know what I felt, but the weight of his troubles seemed to barricade him away until I no longer knew how to reach him. I knew I had to talk to him. It was now or never.

　　Finally, the entrance of our tent flapped open. Damon walked in, wearing his melancholic demeanor, a weary shadow of the man I loved and married. His shoulders slumped under the invisible burden, and his eyes, once full of life, now harbored a darkness that sent shivers down my spine.

　　"Hey," I greeted, attempting to offer a smile that would bridge the growing distance. Damon barely acknowledged me, his things hitting the table with a hollow sound. It was as if he was miles away, lost in a world of his own. Sadly, I felt I was no longer part of that world.