When William Stone spoke, no one dared to argue.
"I'll take responsibility for Kayla and the boy," he said, his deep voice echoing across the drenched courtyard. "Until further notice, they're under my protection."
A ripple of murmurs swept through the Stone family ranks. Some were shocked, others relieved — but all were careful not to meet his gaze. Within moments, his men moved with silent precision, bringing forth a fleet of black luxury cars, their engines purring like beasts ready to obey.
Kayla stood still, the umbrella trembling slightly in her hand. She didn't understand what was happening — one moment, her husband was being buried, and the next, this powerful man was declaring himself the guardian of her child.
"Madam," one of William's guards said softly, opening the car door.
Luke clung to her dress. "Mommy, where are we going?"
She swallowed hard. "To… somewhere safe, sweetheart."
William turned to her, his expression unreadable. "It's what Maxwell would have wanted."
Her heart twisted at the sound of that name from his lips. For a moment, she almost refused. But when she looked into William's eyes — the same cold blue that ran through the Stone bloodline — she saw no malice. Only duty. And perhaps, a shadow of something else.
She nodded once and stepped inside the car, pulling Luke close beside her.
William was about to join them when a sharp voice cut through the rain.
"William!"
He paused. Turning slightly, he found Karen, standing near the mansion steps. Her red lips trembled with restrained anger, her eyes glistening under the soft drizzle.
"What are you thinking?" she demanded, stepping closer. "Taking her? Her son? Are you trying to cause another war within the family?"
Before he could answer, a man's voice called out — her husband.
"Karen! We're leaving!"
She froze. The look on her face was heartbreak wrapped in rage. She turned her head, meeting William's gaze one last time. "You're making a mistake," she whispered.
William's expression didn't change. "No," he said calmly. "I'm correcting one."
He brushed past her and entered the limousine, the door shutting firmly behind him — sealing away the past.
Inside, the silence was heavy. The rain tapped softly against the tinted windows. Kayla sat upright, her hand wrapped tightly around Luke's.
She had a thousand questions — about duty, about her husband's death, about the strange look in William's eyes. But only one left her lips.
"Why did you step up, Lord Stone?" she asked quietly. "What's your purpose in this?"
William turned to her, his gaze steady. "Because Maxwell trusted me with the one thing he couldn't protect anymore."
Kayla frowned. "You mean Luke?"
William's eyes softened — but just for a moment.
"No," he said. "I mean you."
The car moved forward, leaving the cemetery behind — and with it, the last of Kayla's peace.
Kayla's breath caught at his words.
> "You mean… me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
William didn't look at her right away. The soft glow from the streetlights slipped through the car window, painting his face in cold gold. "Maxwell knew what he was walking into," he said finally. "He told me, if anything ever happened to him… protect you before anyone else. His blood depends on you."
Her hand tightened around Luke's. The boy had fallen asleep against her arm, his head resting on her lap. For a moment, she could only stare at the child — his soft blond hair, his father's eyes — and feel the ache that had been tearing her apart since that morning.
"He told you that?" she asked, her voice trembling.
William nodded slowly. "A week before he disappeared."
Silence filled the car again, heavy but fragile. Kayla turned to the window, watching the rain run down like tiny rivers on glass. "You didn't have to step in," she murmured. "I can take care of my son on my own. I've done it before."
"I know," he said, his tone calm but edged. "But you won't have to do it alone again. The family name carries enemies. You and the boy are now targets — not just because of Maxwell, but because of what he protected."
Kayla's brows knit. "What do you mean?"
William's gaze flicked to her for the first time — steady, sharp, unreadable. "Let's just say your husband was involved in something deeper than the Stones' usual rivalries. And if you're under my roof, I can control who comes close to you."
She blinked, searching his expression for answers, but his face gave none. Only control. Only calm.
"You talk like everything is a mission," she said, her tone bitter. "Like protecting me is just another order to follow."
William's jaw tightened. "Maybe it is. But it doesn't change the fact that I'm following it."
She scoffed quietly and looked away. "You really haven't changed. Still cold. Still trying to be the perfect Stone."
His lips curved faintly — the ghost of a smirk, gone as quickly as it came. "And you still think love fixes everything," he replied quietly. "That's what made Maxwell different. He believed in your warmth. Maybe that's why he chose you instead of the world he was born into."
Her throat tightened. She wanted to fight him, to tell him he had no right to speak about love when his own was buried in betrayal. But she couldn't. Not with his voice sounding almost… broken.
They drove in silence for a long time, the hum of the tires on wet asphalt the only sound between them.
When they finally turned through the iron gates of the Stone manor, the sky had cleared. The mansion rose like a palace — marble towers gleaming under the moonlight, its windows glowing like cold fire.
Luke stirred and lifted his head. "Mommy… are we home?"
Kayla smiled weakly. "For now, baby… yes."
William looked out the window as the car stopped. "You'll be safe here," he said simply. "Everything you and your son need will be arranged."
Kayla met his eyes, holding them for a long, silent moment. "Safety isn't the same as peace, Lord Stone."
He didn't answer — but his gaze said everything.
And as the driver opened the door, the night air carried a quiet tension between them.
Whatever this new life was, Kayla knew one thing for sure — she had just stepped back into a world where love, loyalty, and power never walked the same path.