The tension in the air was palpable as Dante and Amelia returned to the estate. They had barely spoken during the drive, each lost in their own thoughts. The weight of what had just transpired hung heavily between them, unspoken but undeniable.
As they walked through the grand front doors, Dante stopped abruptly, his eyes dark with frustration. He turned to face her, his gaze intense and searching.
"Amelia," he began, his voice strained. "Why do you always do that? Why do you pray to God, quote Bible verses, like He's going to suddenly fix everything?"
Amelia blinked, taken aback by the question. She opened her mouth to speak, but Dante cut her off, his tone growing sharper.
"Don't give me the 'faith' speech, Amelia. You know what I mean." He ran a hand through his hair, pacing. "You're praying to a God who doesn't seem to listen. Do you think your prayers are going to change anything? Change me?"
She stood frozen, trying to process the force of his words. She had always believed in the power of prayer, in the idea that God was listening, even when it seemed like nothing changed. But here, in front of her husband, the man she had vowed to stand by, her faith felt like it was under attack.
"I Don't " Amelia started, but Dante's eyes softened for a moment, and he stepped toward her, closing the distance.
"Amelia, I'm not saying it to hurt you. But I can't stand by and watch you believe in something that's just… not there." His voice cracked with raw emotion. "You don't know what it's like, living with the constant weight of nothing happening. No answers, no promises kept."
Amelia felt the sting of his words, but she also saw the pain behind them. She knew he had been through more than he let on, and she realized that his doubts came from a place of hurt. Still, she couldn't let him dismiss what she held so dear.
"Dante," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I believe in God's timing. I believe that even when it seems like He's silent, He's still working. I know He listens."
Dante took a step back, his gaze hardened but still filled with pain. "Then why hasn't He answered? Why hasn't He fixed this us?"
For a moment, the world seemed to stand still. Amelia opened her mouth to respond, but words failed her. She had no easy answers. She only had the quiet, steady hope that God's plan was unfolding, even if she couldn't see it yet.
But Dante's frustration was palpable, and Amelia could feel the weight of the world on his shoulders, the pressure of expectations and fears he hadn't shared with her. It wasn't just the world outside that was closing in on him; it was the growing distance between them.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, her voice breaking the silence. "I didn't mean to push you. I know it's hard, but... I can't stop believing, Dante. I can't turn my back on my faith."
He looked at her, his expression conflicted, torn between wanting to protect her from his own darkness and wanting to understand her unwavering belief.
"I don't want you to stop believing," he muttered, his voice softening. "But sometimes, it feels like I'm losing you to something I can't touch."
Amelia stepped closer to him, reaching out to gently touch his arm. "You're not losing me, Dante. But you have to understand, my faith isn't about escaping reality. It's about finding strength to face it. Together."
He gazed at her, his eyes softening, yet a cloud of doubt still hung over him. "I don't know if I can ever believe the way you do."
"And that's okay," she replied. "You don't have to believe the same way. But I'll always be here for you, even if we're walking different paths."
Dante was quiet for a long time, his gaze fixed on her. Amelia could feel the weight of his inner turmoil, the anger and pain that he had buried for so long. Finally, he spoke, his voice hoarse.
"I don't want to lose you, Amelia. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Amelia felt a flicker of warmth in her chest, a hope she hadn't realized was missing. "You won't lose me, Dante. We'll get through this. Together."
*********
The night passed quietly, though the unresolved tension still lingered in the air. Amelia lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts racing. Dante's words echoed in her mind, his pain, his doubt. She knew he was struggling, but she also knew that his heart was a labyrinth—one she had yet to fully understand.
And yet, she still believed. Despite everything, despite the doubts he had voiced, Amelia believed that somehow, God's plan was bigger than their fear, their doubts, and their pain.
She just had to trust that someday, Dante would see it too.