Eirian Vale hummed gently as the late morning sun broke through the clouds. The town square was bustling with sellers setting up their stalls, and the aroma of freshly baked bread and beautiful wildflowers permeated the air. Dorian Blackwood strode around the square, dressed casually yet oozing refinement. His presence was both unusual and intriguing, with locals casting interested glances his way.
It had been weeks since he came to the little town, and his presence had already begun to spread across the tightly knit population. While most people remained frightened of the towering, gloomy foreigner, others had warmed to him, drawn in by his charisma and unexpected generosity. After all, he had discreetly paid for repairs to the ancient church roof and gave books to the local library.
However, Dorian was not concerned with the locals. Ana and the two small lives had flipped his life upside down.
His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Mr. Blackwood," Mrs. Tilling, the neighborhood baker, said sternly as she placed a loaf of bread in a bag. "You're becoming quite the regular here."
Dorian grinned, making a modest, disarming motion. "You have the greatest bread in the village. Difficult to resist."
She huffed, but couldn't quite conceal the slight smile pulling at her lips. "Flattery won't get you free loaves, you know."
As he handed over the cash, Dorian noticed Alaric and Isolde running between the market stalls, their laughter filling the air. As he observed them, he let out a small smile. Despite his money and power, nothing he had ever accomplished could compare to the delight of watching his children happy.
---
Ana sat at her easel in the meadow near the cottage, the familiar stroke of the brush soothing her strained nerves. Even as the colors flowed onto the painting, her thoughts were elsewhere: on Dorian.
She despised how easily he seemed to fit into the rhythms of the community, and how quickly he captivated people around him. Worse, she despised the way he was mistreating her children.
"Don't lose yourself again," she said quietly to herself.
But when she looked up, he was standing at the edge of the meadow, holding a bag of fresh bread in one hand and wearing an unsure expression.
"Are you stalking me now?" Ana inquired, her tone stern as she placed the brush down.
Dorian's lips twitched into a little grin. "I prefer to call it persistence."
"I'm not interested in your persistence," she said, crossing her arms. "What do you want, Dorian?"
"I want to help," he stated simply, approaching closer.
Ana gave a sour laugh. "Help? With what? My painting? Raising children you didn't realize existed?"
"Yes," he said without hesitation, his voice firm. "All of it."
His response took her by surprise. She opened her lips to respond, but realized she didn't have any words.
"They deserve to know me, Ana," Dorian said, his voice softening. "And whether you believe it or not, I deserve to know them."
"They deserve stability," she stated firmly. "Not someone who could leave the moment things get difficult."
"I made a mistake," he acknowledged, his voice low. "But I am here now. And I am not going anywhere.
Before And could respond, the sound of little footsteps came racing towards them.
"Mama! Look!" Alaric screamed, holding out a tiny wooden bird he had purchased at the market. Isolde followed closely after, carrying a bunch of wildflowers.
"Papa!" Isolde exclaimed happily, her blue eyes lighting up as she beheld Dorian.
Ana's heart squeezed at the words. She hadn't instructed them to call him that; it had just come out one day, and Dorian had not corrected them.
"Hello, darling," Dorian replied, kneeling to her level. "Those are gorgeous flowers. Did you choose them yourself?
Isolde nodded proudly. "For Mama," she said, holding them out to Ana.
Ana grabbed the bouquet, her throat tight. Thank you, darling. "They are perfect."
Dorian stood, his eyes locked with Ana's. For a minute, neither spoke, the weight of their unsaid feelings hanging heavily between them.
---
After the twins had gone to bed, Ana sat by the fire, looking at the flames. She resented how easily Dorian had snuck into their life and engaged with the twins.
She didn't have to guess who was knocking on the door.
When she opened it, Dorian stood there with a serious face.
"We need to talk," he said.
Ana stepped aside and let him in.
"Say what you need to say, then leave," she murmured, folding her arms and leaning against the mantle.
Dorian drew a long breath, his gray eyes black with emotion. "I understand you don't believe me. And I do not blame you. But I am not here to interrupt your life, Ana. I am here because I want to be a part of it."
"You say that now," she said, her tone chilly. "But what happens once the novelty wears off?" When does the reality of having two children become too difficult?
"Do you really think so little of me?" He inquired, his voice rising.
"I think you made it clear where I stood in your life five years ago," she said.
"I was wrong," he said, his voice cracking. "I let my anger and sadness cloud my judgment. And I've lost you. I lost them. But I am here today, and I am not giving up."
Ana gazed at him, her shields fraying. "You don't get to just walk back in and expect everything to be okay."
"I don't expect that," he replied. "I understand that I have a long way to go to win your trust. But I am prepared to fight for it."
Her heart wrenched at his words and the genuine honesty in his voice. But she couldn't make herself believe him. Not yet.
"You should go," she whispered gently before turning away.
"Ana," he replied softly.
She came to a stop but did not turn back.
"Don't shut me out," he pleaded. "Not completely."
Her hands shook as she grasped the edge of the mantle. "Goodnight, Dorian."
The sound of the door closing behind him resonated through the quiet room, and Ana slumped onto the nearest chair, her emotions confused.
She didn't want to accept it, but cracks were appearing in the walls she'd constructed around her heart. And she didn't know how long she could prevent them from shattering.
---
Outside, Dorian stood at the gate, gazing up at the sky. He had won over the townspeople and earned the trust of his children. But Ana remained elusive, a fortress he couldn't penetrate.
However, he couldn't ignore the impression that tonight had been different. For a brief time, he saw a glimpse of the lady he had fallen in love with.
And he would not stop till he found her again.