Chapter 79

LEON'S POV In the days that followed, Irene became a shell of the woman I knew. She stopped responding to me, barely even acknowledging my presence. No matter how much I encouraged her or tried to comfort her, she just stared blankly ahead, her gaze empty and hollow. It was like the fire inside her had been snuffed out, leaving nothing but darkness. I watched helplessly as she refused to eat or drink. In no time, her body began growing thinner with each passing day. Her once-vibrant skin paled, her eyes sunken with exhaustion and pain. I tried everything ranging from gentle words, desperate pleas, but nothing got through to her. She was slipping away from me, and it terrified me. Every night, I barely slept, too afraid to close my eyes for fear that I might wake up and find her gone. I could feel the weight of my failure pressing down on me, suffocating me. I had promised to protect her, to protect our child, and I had failed. The guilt was unbearable, clawing at my chest with every sh