Chapter 19  Awakening of the Heart

Twakening of the Heart the next morning Eleanor's eyes fluttered open. She lay there for a moment, the remnants of sleep still clinging to her, a heaviness in her heart. As consciousness fully returned, she remembered – Lucas was there, in the living room. The thought sent a ripple of anxiety through her. Eleanor sat up slowly, her movements deliberate and quiet. The thought of encountering Lucas, of seeing his gaze filled with sympathy, was more than she could bear. She didn't want his pity; it wasn't the emotion she yearned to see in his eyes. His sympathy would be a tangible reminder of her vulnerability, a mirror reflecting her fragility, and she wasn't ready to face that – not yet. With a soft sigh, she slipped out of bed and started getting ready. Her heart beat a little faster as she approached the door, a sense of urgency propelling her. She didn't want to be seen. The elevator was her escape, a metal cocoon that would whisk her away from this moment, from the need to face