Tristan's words hung heavy in the room. "They know who you are," I repeat the words.
My throat tightened, and before I could speak, my Mom stepped forward with her steady expression, though I could see the tremor in her hands.
"What's going on here, Ellie?" she asked, her gaze darting between Tristan and me.
"Who was at the door just now?" She pressed for an answer.
Tristan turned to her, his posture straight with clipped tone but full of respect.
"Mrs. Everett, I am sorry for the disturbance tonight. I don't want to alarm y. Unfortunately, someone has taken an interest in your daughter. That car tonight wasn't a coincidence."
Mom's eyes widened. "What are you saying? Are you saying someone is following Ellie?"
The fear in her voice made my stomach twisted. I hated that she was being pulled into this damn situation.
"Yes," Tristan answered without hesitation. "Please hold your worries, Mrs Everett. I won't let this matter escalate. Until I can guarantee her safety, it is good for her to stay at my family's estate," he continued.
The words slammed into me. Stay at his family house? With him?
"Wait for a moment," I broke in, shaking my head.
"No, Tristan, I can't just leave my house. My Mom, she needs me."
He cut me off with his sharp gaze. "Ellie, this matter isn't up for debate. If they know who you are, they will try again, and next time, it won't be just a knock on your door."
His certainty sent a shiver down my spine.
My Mom immediately reached for my hand, her grip firm.
"Tristan is right, honey" she said softly, looking at me with those mother's eyes that saw straight through my protests.
"Your father would want you to be safe, Ellie. That's all that matters. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine here." Her voice trying to reassure my chaotic heart.
The mention of Dad hit me like a pang, stealing my breath. I blinked hard, looking down at our joined hands.
Tristan stepped closer, lowering his voice as though making a vow.
"I'll protect her, Mrs. Everett. I swear that no one will harm her under my watch."
For a moment, silence fell. My chest felt tightened, not just from fear but from the weight of his promise. His words weren't casual. They carried the gravity of someone who had already decided where he stood.
Mom's gaze softened. Though uncertainty still lingered in her eyes, she finally nodded.
"Then I'll trust you, Tristan. As always. But please don't break on your promises. You know she's all I have in this world."
Tristan inclined his head, almost like he was accepting a sacred duty. "You have my word, Mrs Everett."
I wanted to argue, to fight on the decision being made about my life, but when I met Tristan's eyes, something inside me faltered.
Beneath his steel temperature, there was an intensity, protective, almost consuming, that both terrified and anchored me.
As the three of us stood in uneasy silence, Tristan's phone buzzed again.
He answered quickly, and when he hung up, his expression was darker than before.
"They're not just watching you anymore," he said, his gaze flickering.
"They're now asking questions about you."