Chapter 65 Rise From The Ashes

The earth smelled of rain and freshly turned soil. The cemetery stretched beyond the wrought-iron gates, a field of unmarked graves and elaborate tombstones. Diego stood motionless before the marble slab bearing his father’s name. The weight of generations pressed against his chest, but for the first time, it no longer suffocated him. Mariana stood beside him, her presence quiet yet grounding. The wind tousled her dark hair, the late afternoon sun casting a soft glow on her olive skin. She didn’t speak. She knew this moment belonged to him.