Chapter 91: Do Not Doubt Me, My Love **Ethanâs POV I looked her in the eye, and repeated myself firmly. âI canât, not anymore.â
I glanced at the bump on her belly, and gestured at the swing hanging between the flower bushes. âCan we sit down somewhere?â I was sure she would get tir ed.
She nodded. The two of us went over to the swing, and I held it still for her to sit down.
I kept my feet flat on the ground as I leaned forward towards her.
It took me some time to get myself ready for a conversation like this. I wasnât good at sharing my thoug hts, but I knew I had to.
Rosalie was right next to me. She looked like some breathtaking being from a fairytale. Under the moo nlight, she was even more pure and beautiful.
Thad caused so much suffering for her, perhaps more than anyone elseâ yet she was still willing to sit with me and hear me out.
A long time ago, terrible things had happened in my life that were difficult to get through.
Thad built a huge wall around my heart. Iâd had no choice. If I hadnât, I probably wouldnât have survived
all of the pain.
I glanced up at her. She was just quietly sitting there, not rushing me.
âRosalie,â I started slowly, âFor a long time, my heart has become nothing but a stone sitting in my ches t.â
Llooked into the distance. Talking about myself was hard, especially to her.
âI told myself that was a good thing, and I truly believed so.â It didnât need to feel pain, and it was safe.
She nodded, showing that she was listening to me.
âI needed an heir, so I went to seek aâ¦â I didnât want to say that word again. Rosalie was not my breed er. She was so much more.
However, she said it for me. âA breeder. And then?â
I felt like Iâd been stabbed in the heart, but I continued, âThen I met youâ¦â
My eyes locked on her.
I remembered the first time we met. She was trembling under my touch. She was afraid of me.
But now, she was sitting here calmly. She didnât know that a simple sentence of hers could send me to heavenâ or sentence me to hell.
I couldnât move my eyes away from her.
âYouâre the kindest, sweetest and gentlest person Iâve ever met.â
Her doe eyes widened, and her cheeks turned a little pink.
I wanted to tell her that she was an incredible person in so many ways, that, when I was with her, it was as it all of that pain from my early life finally departed from me, and the wall Iâd built around my heart was not needed anymore.
I wanted to tell her that, suddenly, I could feel again.
However. I didnât know how to explain all those things to her, so I said, âYou make me feel something Iâ
d never felt before. Something peaceful and hopeful.â
âBut you decided to⦠decided to get rid of me?â Her tone was a little cold, and harshâ
but that was what | deserved.
I couldnât deny it. Whatever excused I tried to find wouldnât change the fact that I had made an unbelievably stupid mistake, which I had then fought with everyone else around me to stick with.
âI was a coward,â I admitted bitterly. âI was afraid.â
When she was with me, I was so happy. I was so focused on her that I didnât even realize how different my life wasâ but deep down, I was afraid.
I was afraid that it was just an illusion masking something else that would destroy me. And I thought! w ould kill it off before the beautiful dream turned into a nightmare.
âAre you afraid now?â she asked..
I took a deep breath, and nodded. âYes. A million times more than before.â
She seemed a little puzzled.
âWhen you were⦠missingââ
I couldnât bring myself to use the word âgone.â I looked at her again.
ââa split secondâs memory of you was enough to make my heart ache all night.â
The wall around my heart was gone by then; Rosalie had torn it down. I had been able to feel every bit
of pain from losing her, and it had been excruciating. Even to this day, the thought of those times still ca used me physical pain.
| grimaced. âAnd that was a million times more painful than anything Iâd ever experienced.â
I knew I mustâve looked so pitiful in her eyes. She leaned closer to me, but she refrained from touching
me.
She sighed. âYou might have changed, but I needed to be sure. I canât make this decision lightly.â
I looked at her sadly. âI know Iâve treated you badly, Rosalie. I donât deserve another chance from you. I was a f ool, and you should tell me to go to h*ll and that you never want to see me again.â
I felt like that was exactly what she had been telling me for the last few days, but she let me continueâ
and I wouldnât let go of any chance.
I reached for her hand, and she didnât pull it away. Immediately, I felt sparks of electricity shoot up my arm as warmth radiated throughout my
body.
Whatâs more, I could also feel the babyâ the pull that had been summoning me all the way here!
I tried to calm my racing heart.
âYou have every right to tell me to get out of here. If thatâs what you want, then Iâll go.â
She seemed to be processing what I said, so I took the advantage of the silence and continued, âbut Rosalie, just know, Iâll spend every day for the rest of my li fe in constant torment, unable to think of anything but you.â
clouds floated away to reveal a bright white beam of moonlight that illuminated her beautiful face, couldnât help but reach up and touch her cheek.
I pulled her into my arms and vowed to her and the Moon Goddess, âRosalie, Iâll do whatever it takes to be with you and our baby. Please, just give me one more chance to show you that Iâve changed, and I promise you, Iâll never, ever take you for granted again.â
**Rosalieâs POV Was this a dream? Was I sleeping? How long had I wished in vain to hear those words from Ethanâs lips?
And now, here he wasâ
sitting next to me, telling me that he loved me and that he wanted to be together, to raise our baby as a family.
It was almost too good to be true.
My head was nodding up and down before I could even formulate words. Tears sprung up in my eyes a s I saw Ethanâs eyes widen, a look of shock on his face.
ALL âIs that a yes?â he asked me. I almost could swear that I saw his eyes turn moist. âAre you saying⦠youâll give me another chance?â he asked again, unsure.
âIâm saying⦠I want to take it slowly,â I began, trying not to get too far ahead of myself.
BY I still needed to be cautious. I had to think of what was best for my baby, after all, and having a mother that was alive was top on that list of priorities, right after making sure that they were safe.
âWhatever pace you want, Rosalie. Itâs totally up to you.â He couldnât hide the tremble in his voice.
I nodded.
âAnd what about Madalynn?â I asked, taking a deep breath. I hated to even say her name.
evens He shook his head. âI told you, Iâll take care of it.â
âBut the King=â
âJames will learn to live with it.â
He caressed my cheek with his thumb, and I smiled at him, knowing he could handle anyone, even the king.
I looked up at him. I couldnât remember when Iâd ever seen that sort of genuine smile on his face, but n ow, he was grinning.
He was even more handsome than before, and I felt my heart beating faster just seeing how happy he was.
It was so unfair! I protested to myself. How could I turn him down?!
I wasnât sure what to say next. At length, I raised my hand to my neck. âI feel like Iâm missing something hereâ¦â
One corner of his mouth went up in a crooked grin. âI have just the thing.â
Ethan pulled my necklace out of his pocket. I was so happy to see it, tears filled my eyes.
He tried to reach around me to hook it, but it was awkward, and I had to turn a bit for him to get it on.
âSorry,â 1 mumbled, âIâve gained some weight.â
âYou are beautiful, Rosalie.â
My hand went to clasp the pendant I had been missing for all these weeks. Feeling the weight of my norklare back where it belonged made me feel a bit like being home after a long journey. I pivoted back around to face him.
âYouâre carrying our child,â he continued, âand that makes you more beautiful than ever.â
I couldnât believe this sweet talk. It was so different from what I was used to from him, but I liked it.
I liked it a lot There was one other thing I needed to know, though. âDid you really come all the way over to the islands just to see if I was here?â
The Ethan I knew would never run away from his responsibilities and leave his people unprotected for h He looked right into my eyes and shook his head. âNo, not exactly. I needed to gather intel for the war. I wouldâve come anyway in the future, but this worked out even better.â
At least he was honestâ¦
âBut how did you know I was here?â | asked. âYou were supposed to think that I was dead.â
His smile couldnât be hidden. Then his hand gently covered my belly.
âIt was our child who told me,â he whispered in my ear.
My eyes widened. âWhat do you mean?â.
âI feel the pull with our baby, Rosalie, fate has bonded us.
I was disappointed⦠âAfter all, you didnât come here for meâ¦â I murmured. I knew I must have sounded so whiny, but I couldnât help it. He chuckled in my ear, and his scent was surroundin against my eardrum.
âWhat are you laughing at?!â I bursted out, annoyed.
He released me from his arm and looked at me.
âRosalie.â He put my hand on his left chest, hooked a finger under my chin and gently lifted my face to lo He called me âmy loveââ¦
His deep voice and gaze made my face burn, and my heart melted.
âL.Iâm not!â I stuttered, âOkay, okay, I believe you!â
Unfair! So, so unfair!
Just a few words from him made me want to forget everything that had happened in the past.
âShall we start again?â he asked.
All I could do was nod my head.
He smiled at me and leaned forward.
At first, I thought he was going to kiss my lips, But instead, he pressed his warm mouth to my neck. I tipped my face up to the heavens and concentrated on the feel of his breath on my skin, the scent of him so clo to me, his touch on my cheekâ¦.
I closed my eyes and prayed to the Moon Goddess that I had made the right choice.
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