---- Chapter 12 In that moment, I made a promise to myself. If we were both still alive in three years, we'd leave it all behind. There was still so much life ahead of us. We deserved a life of our own. We chose a city where it stayed warm all year and made it our home. We even went and got our marriage certificate. Now and then, I would scroll through my feed and check out old photos. There was the very first photo we'd ever taken together, and the one from our wedding in Africa... I would carry those memories with me forever. Dennis - Epilogue On the way back from Africa, I came across a little girl. She was holding a small stone in her hands, running her fingers over the words carved into it: Peace and joy. ---- I froze. I had seen that exact stone once before, hidden in Anna's luggage. It was the day I hit her. She came to the hospital afterward, and I had someone sneak into her hotel room. That's where I found the stone. asked the little girl where she got it. "A kind lady gave it to me," she said. "She told me she hoped I'd live a peaceful, happy life." "Did she say where the stone came from?" "She did. She said a little boy gave it to her. She wanted to give it to someone she liked. But... then she said that person had stopped liking her." Her words cut through me like a blade. So back then, Anna still wanted to be with me. And what was I doing? ---- Iremembered. I was entangled with Scarlett-flirting, getting close. We had a child. I even told Scarlett I loved her. The day Scarlett left, she left me a letter. It only said: Dennis, you bastard. You lost a really, really good girl. I'm not talking about me. I'm talking about Anna. She loved you so much. She was so good to you. And you betrayed her. I broke down in tears. Then, a shell landed nearby. I lost both legs. When I woke up again, I was back in Veldere. My father stood by the hospital bed, his face cold." You were the one who gave up on Anna. And now you go looking for her? Even the heavens are punishing you." I stared in disbelief at my empty pant legs.