Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared)

He wasn't really in agony, not anymore.

Gone were the days when his heartache felt like a relentless barrage of arrows. What had settled in its place was a numbing sensation-a dull, persistent ache that occasionally spiked like a needle jab, then subsided into numbness. The back-and-forth of it all was torturous in its own right.

In those days, he'd shut off his phone. Cut off from the world outside, he received no news, no updates. For years, he'd poured his soul into work, never once slacking off like this. It seemed as though his life's work was invested in expanding his business empire.

Then, suddenly, Jared found himself questioning the point of it all. For the first time, he wanted to hide away, to avoid people, to be silent, to want nothing.

Serenity Hall was his sanctuary.

The folks there were simple, genuine. In front, there was the big pharmacy; the backyard, however, was a world unto itself.

Behind the yard was a small, cultivated herb garden. It wasn't large, but it was home to a variety of unknown herbs. Now, Jared spent his days helping the old gardener tend to these plants, breathing in the air, heavy with a calming herbal scent.

After half a month at Serenity Hall, he felt a slight reprieve from his pain. But then Agnes returned, which messed up is heart again.

Yet she was so lucid, so clear-headed, while he was still mired in the illusions of the past.

A faint smile played on Jared's lips, "You don't need to thank me. I couldn't have just stood by, no matter who it was."

The silence that followed was endless.

The two kids stood beside them, sensing the tension. Nocturne felt the awkwardness, while Esther remained blissfully unaware, tugging at Agnes' hand, "Ms. Agnes, I want to sleep with you tonight." There was only one bed, and it was a child's bed at that. Nocturne usually shared it with Esther; it was too small even for them. Three people? Impossible. Especially with Jared sleeping right underneath it. To share a room with him... It wasn't awkwardness that Agnes felt, it was heartache.

Their once intimate bond had frayed over time, and now they were left with this uncomfortable distance. Agnes felt the pain too, especially now, during their peculiar period of separation. Their feelings for each other remained a tangled mess.

Best to keep a distance, Agnes thought, to avoid further entanglement.

"I'm sorry, Esther," Agnes said with a regretful tone, "I can't stay tonight. How about I come back to see you tomorrow?"

Esther's face fell, disappointment etched into her young features. Agnes' heart ached at the sight.

Nocturne had already picked up on the tension, a worried look flickering in his eyes. Agnes didn't want to show any signs of discord in front of the children. To them, their parents were the closest allies in the world. She had made a pact with Jared once-no matter what, they would appear united in front of their children.

Turning to Nocturne, Agnes spoke, "Nocturne, it's just too cramped here. I've booked a room at a hotel. I'll be back tomorrow."

Nocturne then asked, "Does that mean Dad's going with you?"

Agnes paused, taken aback. Her gaze involuntarily drifted to Jared. What reason could she possibly give?