The peace that had fallen over Eirian Vale began to crumble the minute Lila Moreau entered the community. Dressed in a finely fitted coat and shoes that snapped loudly on the cobblestone walkways, she garnered eyes from people unfamiliar with her style of sophistication—and the chill she carried with her.
Ana initially glimpsed her through the window of the neighborhood café where she was seated with Hazel. She paused, her pulse hammering as she saw the lady who had previously devastated her life walk into the square as if she owned it.
Hazel noted a shift in Ana's temperament. "What is it?" she inquired, tracking Ana's gaze. Her lips contracted as she noticed Lila. "Is that—"
"Yes," Ana said quietly, her fingers tightening around the cup in her palms. "It's her."
Lila turned, as if feeling the weight of Ana's attention. Their gazes met through the glass, and Lila's lips curved into a slow, contented grin before turning and walking into the inn across the street.
"She's here for him," Hazel whispered, her voice low and venomous.
Ana shook her head, and her throat tightened. "I don't care why she is here. "She won't ruin my life again."
But even as she spoke, uncertainty crept into her heart.
---
Later that afternoon, Dorian found himself at the village market, assisting Alaric in selecting fruit for dinner, while Isolde clung to his side, her little hand tightly wrapped around his. He was finding a rhythm here, a delicate sense of belonging that he hadn't experienced in years.
"Papa, can we get strawberries?" Isolde inquired, her blue eyes wide with anticipation.
"Of course," Dorian said, ruffling her hair. "Anything for you."
When he was ready to offer the merchant a few cents, a familiar voice stopped him.
"Dorian."
He slowly turned, his jaw stiffening as he faced Lila. Her grin was as keen as ever, and her eyes sparkled with the same cunning glimmer that had previously lured him.
"What are you doing here?" he said, his tone chilly.
"I could ask you the same thing," she said, her gaze shifting to the youngsters by his side. Her smile wavered briefly before she recovered. "I heard you'd disappeared from the city, but I never imagined you'd end up in a place like this."
"Leave, Lila," he ordered firmly, leaving no space for disagreement.
"Leave?" she said, pretending astonishment. "But I just arrived. Surely you won't kick me out before we've had a chance to catch up."
"There's nothing to catch up on," he retorted.
"Oh, I disagree," she remarked calmly, approaching closer. "There's a lot we should speak about. But maybe someplace more private?" Her gaze shifted to the twins, and her smile became predatory. "Unless you want to discuss things in front of your... companions."
"Let's go," Dorian whispered quietly as he gently led the youngsters away.
As they went back to the cabin, Isolde frowned at him. "Papa, who was that lady?"
"No one important," he said hurriedly, his gut churning.
---
When Dorian arrived at the cabin, Ana was waiting for him, her arms crossed and her face tense with hardly veiled rage.
"She's here," Ana murmured as he came inside.
"I know," Dorian said, closing the door behind him.
"What does she want?" Ana demanded, her voice raised.
"I don't know," he said, running his hand through his hair. "But I'll handle it."
Ana laughed angrily. "Handle it?" How did you manage it last time? Dorian, I cannot let her destroy everything again. "Not with the twins involved."
"She won't get near them," he declared firmly.
"She already has," Ana retorted. "Did they see her today? Dorian, she's already started sowing seedlings. "That is what she does."
"I won't let her win," he murmured, moving closer.
Ana's eyes blazed. "You hadn't stopped her before. "Why should I believe you will stop her now?"
Dorian's jaw stiffened as the weight of her allegation struck home. "Because I'm not the same man I was then," he said quietly. "And I won't let her hurt you—or them—again."
Ana turned away and hugged herself. "You don't realize what she is capable of. "She'll manipulate everyone in this village to get to you."
"Then let her try," Dorian murmured, his tone tightening. "Because I'll destroy her before she gets the chance."
Ana didn't respond, but the strain in her shoulders did not subside.
---
Lila wasted no time in causing problems. Her presence reverberated over the community for several days, like a heavy fog. She made herself known by starting up talks with the locals and flashing that trained grin that concealed her actual motives.
But it wasn't simply Lila who disturbed Ana. Strange things started happening throughout the village. The local store's supplies went stolen, and Ana heard stories of foreign guys prowling on the outskirts.
One evening, Ana was closing up the cabin when she heard a commotion outside. Her pulse raced as she looked out the window, but the yard was vacant. The sensation of being watched persisted, sending shivers down her spine.
When she turned back, Dorian stood at the doorway, his face gloomy.
"What is it?" she inquired.
"There's more going on than just Lila," he added quietly.
"What do you mean?"
"My business rivals," he confessed. "They've been circling for months, looking for any vulnerability they can exploit. If they had followed me here—"
Ana's stomach sank. "You think they're working with her?"
"It's possible," he remarked. "Lila doesn't do anything without an agenda."
Ana's thoughts raced. "We have to safeguard the twins. "If they are after you—"
"They won't touch them," Dorian murmured, his voice hard. "I'll make sure of it."
"How?" Ana demanded. "How can you possibly protect them when you've already brought this danger into our lives?"
His gaze softened. "I will do everything it takes, Ana. "Even if it means leaving."
Her breath caught. "Leaving?"
"If it's the only way to keep you safe, I'll go," he murmured gently.
Ana gazed at him, her emotions a whirlpool of rage, terror, and something she couldn't quite identify. She wanted to push him away, telling him to leave and take the risk with him. But the notion of his walking away on them again was nearly unbearable.
Before she could respond, a loud knock resonated throughout the cabin.
Dorian's eyes hardened, and he signaled for Ana to stand back as he approached the door.
When he opened it, Lila stood on the doorway, her grin harsh and her eyes full of hate.
"Did you miss me?" she inquired, softly.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Dorian let out a roar.
"I came to talk," she continued, her gaze moving from him to Ana. "But it seems we've got an audience."
"Get out," Ana demanded, her voice shaking with rage.
"Oh, Ana," Lila said, her smile expanding. "You should know by now—I'm not going anywhere."
The tension crackled in the air, dense and oppressive.
Dorian came forwards, his voice low and fierce. "If you come near my family again, you'll regret it."
Lila's smile faded for a little moment, but she soon recovered. "We'll see about that," she murmured before turning and fleeing into the darkness.
Ana turned to face Dorian, her heart beating as the door closed.
"This isn't over," she explained, her voice quivering.
"I know," he said, his expression harsh. "But it will be."
The unspoken pledge hung between them, a subtle declaration that the war was far from over.