Chapter 39 - The Garden of RosesThat evening, after picking the children up from school and enjoying a homemade dinner, the family walked down to the beach behind their house.
The sun was setting, painting the sky in brilliant shades of pink, gold, and soft purple. Ocean waves lapped gently against the shore, cooling the warm sand beneath their feet.
Lily and Owen ran ahead, collecting smooth sea shells and building a small sandcastle near the water's edge.
Mark stood a few paces back, holding two warm cups of tea. He watched the gentle rise and fall of the ocean, feeling an overwhelming sense of peace settling into his chest. The ghost of guilt that had haunted him for so long was finally fading away, replaced by the reality of the happy, healthy children before him.
