I had been patiently watching from a distance as whispers stirred in my house, and glances lingered longer than they should have. But patience had its limits, and tonight, after overhearing far too much in corridors that were never meant for secrets, I decided it was time.
When they stepped into my office, Tristan was tall and unyielding, and Ellie was pale but determined. I did not even bother to offer them chairs. I just want them to feel the weight of standing before me.
"Close the door," I said.
The latch clicked into place, sealing us in.
I studied them in silence for a long moment. Ellie shifted nervously, but Tristan didn't move, his jaw tight and eyes locked on me with that same defiance I'd once had for my father.
"I'm not a fool," I began. "As I said, I'd know what's happening between both of you."
Ellie's breath caught, but Tristan stepped forward, shielding her without even realizing it. Protective, instinctive, and that itself was confirmed enough.
I leaned back in my chair, folding my hands. "I should be furious, and I am furious at the secrecy, the reckless way you've let this unfold under my roof. However, I know being mad will never solve the problem that we have at hand. What matters now is whether either of you truly understands what you're stepping into."
Ellie swallowed, but her chin lifted. There was steel in her expression, fragile but real. "I love him," she whispered, her voice steady despite the tremor beneath it.
The words struck me harder than I expected. So young and so sure. Despite everything, I once saw that same fire in Marie's eyes when she chose me.
My gaze shifted to Tristan. "And how about you, Tristan? Mind sharing with me?"
His answer was immediate and unwavering. "She is mine, and I will protect her, either with or without your blessing, Father."
The silence that followed was sharp enough to cut all of us.
I rose slowly, circling the desk until I stood before them both. "You think love is enough? Can you stand against the storm because you feel strong enough?" I shook my head.
"I had told you, Tristan. Love will be tested by the darkness you carry, the business you run, and the enemies who want to see this family fall. And you," I shift my eyes to Ellie, who holds my gaze even as fear flickers in her eyes, "if you marry into this family, you will be marked just like all of us, and our world will not spare you. Not you, not your mother, either."
Ellie's voice trembled, but she did not falter. "Then I'll learn to survive it, and I believe my mother would want me to be happy as well."
For a moment, I said nothing. Then, slowly, I nodded. "Good. Tristan is many things, but gentleness is not one of them. He would need someone who won't break under his weight, and if you're that person, then perhaps you belong here."
I let the words hang, heavy with both warning and acceptance.
Edward approaches his desk, his voice dropping lower: "But understand this, Ellie. If you fail each other, it means you fail me, and I do not forgive failure."