“And the last one... the day he gave me that dragon tale. We were on my porch, lemonade in hand, and he leaned in close, his voice soft like a secret. ‘One day,’ he whispered, ‘I’ll slay every dragon for you, Penelope. Because you’re my treasure.’ He kissed my cheek, lingering just a second too long, and I felt it—felt like the world was ours. Then he was gone.
