Edward's words echoed in my chest long after he left the room.
Once you're in, you're in for good. There is no way back from this.
It sounded less like a warning and more like a simple sentence. The grip of my hand on my bag tightened until I could feel my knuckles aching.
I am not blind. Of course, I could sense the flashes of the darker threads woven through the Donovans' lives, the things that Sophia never spoke about her family. It's never a secret, only that I choose to be dumb about it so I could still be friends with Sophia. I am not sure about other people, but they are very bad at hiding things from me, or they might have just accepted me into their world subconsciously. That sometimes gives me the benefit of the doubt that I am part of them, and now Edward Donovan is pulling open the curtain just enough to force me to face this, to face my own choice.
But this choice wasn't that simple anymore.
There are so many things entangling with one another. If I stayed, it would mean stepping into their shadows willingly and tying my life to Tristan's in a way that would never let me go. But if I walked away now, I risked breaking something that already felt dangerously close to becoming part of me.
Suddenly, the thought of my mother occurred in my mind. I remember how she bore her grief with quiet strength and how she'd always told me to choose love when I found it, even if it was hard.
But would she want this? Would she want me to tie myself to a world of danger and secrets, simply because my heart couldn't let go of Tristan?
Tears burned at the corners of my eyes. For the first time since arriving here, I wished Sophia were the one standing by my side instead of her brother. At least then, I wouldn't feel so terribly torn between what I wanted and what I feared.
-
I found my father in the study, his gaze fixed on the dying embers in the fireplace. He didn't look up when I entered, as if he knew I would be here.
"You shouldn't have pulled her in deeper."
My jaw clenched. "And you shouldn't have confronted her like that."
Finally, Edward turned, his eyes heavy with guilt. "You need to understand the reasoning behind my action, son. She should hear all this now rather than later, not when it's already too late to walk away."
I stepped closer, anger threading through every word. "You know she is already involved, whether you force it or not. I am not going to just stand there while you scare her off just to ease your conscience, Father."
Edward's expression hardened, but beneath it, I saw the cracks, the regret of a man who had carried the burden too long. "You don't think I can't see things clearly, son? The way she looks at you and the way you look at her. Tristan, you are my son. As much as you don't want to admit it, we, your own family, could see it as clear as glass. In our world, there are always consequences when you let someone that close. Haven't I gone through it as well? I know what this may cost you, Tristan."
His voice broke, just slightly, before he forced it steady again. "My opinion as a father: don't drag her into this unless you're prepared to lose her. You need to let go if she decides to move on, Tristan."
His words sank like lead, because they weren't a threat; it was more a plea. A father's warning carved out of guilt and love, the same love I couldn't stop myself from reaching for, no matter the danger.
I turned toward the door, my voice low but certain. "It's too late, Father. If she ever chooses to stay, then I will make sure to protect her with my life because now, she is the only existence that I refuse to let go."
Outside the study, unseen by either of them, Ellie stood frozen in the corridor. She had come looking for Tristan, to see him before she made her choice. But when she heard his final and unguarded confession, her heart raced. The only feelings that she has now are the feeling of being torn between the fear of his world and the weight of his words pulling at her.