Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring

Chapter 124

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Over the last couple of days, Brandon had been spending more and more time with Emma and her family; the time he spent with them brought him enormous joy, yet at the same time, it filled him with a pang that was hard to ignore. Feelings for her, long buried, now surfaced in ways he himself did not quite understand,

They made him restless, filled his mind, and now made him question every decision he had ever made.

He had four years, four long years, to tell Emma how he felt. But he didn't.

And now, well, Emma had moved on. She was in a new relationship with Jaden, a man she'd only recently met.

He couldn't blame her for moving on with her life, but he blamed himself for having stood still. He despised the jealousy that clawed at his chest, the regret weighing upon his heart. How could he have let her slip away?

It was today that Brandon finally gathered the confidence to ask Emma out, but not because he wanted her romantically; it was a 'friendly outing. He'd told himself it was just an excuse to spend time with her alone, but deep down, he knew it was a desperate attempt to feel closer to her before she became even further out of reach. He picked her up that afternoon, his heart racing the moment she got into the car, her smile radiant as ever. The drive to the beach, save for the soft hum of music drifting from the speakers, was silent: Brandon had carefully curated the playlist. As a familiar song began to play, his hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. Memories of Diana rushed through his mind, her laughter, her strength even on her sickbed, her ever-compassionate kindness. She was his world; her passing had almost killed him.

Diana had been more than a soulmate; she was his twin flame, his equal in every way. Life had been unkind to her, and her health had always been fragile; in the end, she was betrayed by those closest to her-her own cousin.

Her death was still a pain he had, but then seeing Emma, who resembled Diana to an amazing extent, had seemed like light at the end of a very long tunnel. The music began to make Brandon blink back tears and he steal a glance at Emma as she swayed to its rhythm. She wasn't Diana, he knew that, but she was the one who had given him hope all over again.

all to themselves. He wanted this moment to be special, something that she would

beachgoer, she admitted, but she'd make an exception. They ran along the shore, playing in the water and laughing like kids. For a couple of hours, Emma's cares seemed to melt away, and Brandon felt he was seeing a side of her the

saw.

sun started to set, the mood turned. They sat together on the sand. They were quiet aside for the sound of the

Brandon said suddenly,

of his tone. "She did?" she asked softly, trying to read his mood. She let out a sigh, sensing the weight of the memory about

smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah. She loved it more than anything. We used to go to the beach every week, come what may. She said the sound of the waves made her feel at peace, like everything else in

voice started to break, and Emma watched as the tears welled up inside his eyes before spilling over. "She tried to stay strong, you know? Even when things got hard, she'd still talk about going back to the beach one day, like it was this

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III

Chapter 124

we never got to go

voice barely above

to hear that," whisper. She looked away, feeling awkward, unsure of

himself. "The first time I met you, Emma." He stopped, his eyes fixed on the waves. "You made me feel alive again. Since Diana's death, I never thought it would be possible to feel

"Brandon." she started, but