Under the canopy of a grand oak tree, the air was thick with tension and the lingering scent of summer blooms. Jerrick stood at a distance, his arms crossed over his chest, watching the unfolding drama with a stoic expression.
The scene before him was heart-wrenching, but his wife's words echoed in his mind, keeping his emotions in check.
William knelt in the grass, his eyes brimming with desperation. "Elaine, please," he implored, his voice cracking with raw emotion. "I love you. Come with me. We'll find a way, together."
Elaine's face was a canvas of agony, her tears glistening like dew in the soft sunlight. She shook her head vigorously, her hands clasped tightly in front of her as if in prayer. "No, William," she sobbed, her voice barely a whisper. "I am tainted, stained forever. You deserve someone pure, someone whole."
