37. Outsider

As another night descended, Virginia found herself alone on her bed, tears streaming down her face once again. But this time, guilt gnawed at her heart, overshadowing the hurt she felt. She couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of remorse that consumed her being.

The weight of guilt pressed upon her as she replayed the events in her mind. She berated herself for her audacity, for daring to take Helena's mementos without fully considering Gerald's feelings. In her eagerness to create a connection and honor the past, she had unknowingly trespassed into sacred territory.

Virginia's thoughts turned to Gerald, her beloved husband who had shown her unwavering love and support. She realized that her actions might have triggered painful memories, reopening wounds that had not fully healed. The dress, once a symbol of her attempt to bring them closer, now seemed like an insensitive intrusion into Gerald's past.

Tears continued to flow as Virginia's guilt intensified. She questioned her own jud