My voice came out shaky. “Caelan, how could you possibly cook my mother’s dishes? She only met you a few times before she died…”
Something enigmatic flickered in his eyes. “After lunch, I’ll take you somewhere.”
The small cottage sat nestled in a garden bursting with late-blooming roses and herbs. Warm light spilled from the windows as Caelan parked in the gravel driveway.
“Where are we?”
“You’ll see.”
He knocked on the wooden door. Footsteps approached from inside, then the door swung open to reveal an elderly woman with silver hair pinned in a neat bun. She wore a floral apron over her simple dress.
“Your Majesty.” She bowed her head respectfully to Caelan.
“Please, just call me Caelan,” he said gently.
Then her gaze shifted to me, and her entire expression transformed.
‘Oh my God… Sable? My little angel?”
Memory crashed back like a wave. The gentle voice that used to fill our kitchen with laughter. Hands that taught me to knead bread and fold dumplings.
‘Sarah! Is it really you?”
I threw myself into her arms. She felt smaller than I remembered, more fragile, but her embrace was just as warm.
‘Look at you,” she whispered, pulling back to cup my face. “So grown up, so beautiful. Just like your mother.”
We moved into her cozy living room. Handmade quilts draped over furniture, and the walls were covered with family photos spanning decades.
Sarah used to come to our house when I was little. She and Mom would spend hours in the kitchen together. But how did Caelan know her?
Sarah’s eyes grew misty. “Your mother was the dearest friend I ever had. She loved your father so much, and she adored you beyond words.”
Pain twisted through my chest. “But Dad betrayed her. He married her best friend the moment she was gone.”
Sarah’s expression grew pained. She leaned forward, taking my hands in her weathered ones.
Child, about your father and Victoria… I think you should know the truth.”
My pulse quickened. “What truth?”
Sarah sighed deeply. ‘It was your mother’s dying wish. Isabella knew her time was running out. She didn’t want you growing up without a mother’s care.”
That’s impossible…” I whispered. ‘Mom would never…*
“She knew about your father and Victoria. Sarah’s voice grew gentler. “It happened once, when Rodrigo was drowning his grief in alcohol and wasn’t thinking clearly. He made a terrible mistake with Victoria. Your father cried and begged your mother’s forgiveness, and she not only forgave him – she encouraged their relationship.
Tears burned my eyes. ‘Why would she do that?”
“She said, After I’m gone, at least Sable will still have a mother. And Rodrigo needs to move past the grief of my death quickly.” Sarah squeezed my hands. “Your mother sacrificed her own happiness for yours.”
The revelation hit me like a physical blow. Everything I’d believed, all the anger I’d carried for so many years it was built on a misunderstanding.
–
So Dad wasn’t a betrayer?”
‘Your father was devastated too.” Sarah’s voice carried old pain. “He loved your mother desperately, but he couldn’t ignore her final wishes either.”
I felt the ice around my heart beginning to crack. The fury I’d nursed for years started to melt into something more complex – grief for my mother’s sacrifice, sympathy for my father’s impossible position.
Sarah turned to Caelan with affection shining in her eyes. “This young man here suffered quite a bit for you back then.”
I looked at Caelan in confusion. “What do you mean?”
After your mother died, you refused to eat.” Sarah settled back in her chair, memories playing across her face. “You grew thinner every day. Caelan heard about it and came here almost daily to learn cooking.”
She gestured toward her small kitchen. “I can still picture him, struggling with knives and seasonings, his hands covered in cuts from practicing. He’d say, ‘I can’t let Sable starve herself.”
The world seemed to stop spinning.
Those meals…” My voice came out barely above a whisper. “Every day after Mom died, someone left food at our house. I thought it was from the household staff.”
Caelan’s voice was quiet. “I just didn’t want to see you hurting yourself.”
The simple words shattered something inside me. All those carefully prepared meals that had kept me alive during my darkest period. The exact flavors that had reminded me of Mom’s love. The persistence when I’d barely touched the food.
It had been him. All along, it had been him.
I shot up from the sofa without thinking, launching myself across the space between us. My arms wrapped around his neck as I buried my face against his shoulder.
He caught me easily, his strong arms coming around my waist to hold me close.
“You saved me, I whispered against his neck. “I didn’t even know I was being saved.”
His hand stroked my hair. “You don’t need to thank me for that.”
But I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t do anything but hold onto him and feel the years of loneliness and anger finally beginning to heal.
After catching up with Sarah for several hours, we said our goodbyes and she walked us to the front garden.
“Thank you for telling me about my mom, Sarah.” I hugged her again. “I think I can somehow understand my dad.”
Caelan shook her hand formally. “I’ll bring Sable to visit again soon.”
“You better. Sarah wagged her finger at him. “Don’t be a stranger.”
Caelan headed toward his car. He paused by the driver’s side, checking something on his phone.
That’s when Sarah grabbed my wrist.
She leaned close, eyes sparkling with mischief as she glanced toward Caelan.
‘Little angel, I need to tell you a secret… Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper.
My eyebrows shot up. “What kind of secret?”
Sarah’s gaze darted to Caelan again, making sure he couldn’t hear. “Caelan loves strawberry macarons. The pink, fluffy ones.”
I blinked. “Strawberry macarons?”
“You should see him when I make them. She pressed her lips together, fighting back laughter. “He acts all serious and royal, but then he sneaks extra ones into his pockets like a guilty schoolboy.”
My brain short-circuited. What?! The mighty Lycan King likes pink macarons?
I fought to keep my expression neutral. My hands flew behind my back, fingers lacing together to stop them from shaking with suppressed laughter.
Oh my God. That’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard.
“Don’t tell him I told you.” Sarah winked. “But maybe you could surprise him someday.”
I nodded vigorously, not trusting my voice.
Sarah patted my cheek affectionately. “Now go on. Your king is waiting.”
I walked to the car, my mind still reeling from this revelation.
Caelan looked up as I approached. “Ready to go?”
“Mm-hmm. I slid into the passenger seat, pressing my lips together to hide my grin.
I stared out the window, but all I could think about was Caelan secretly hoarding macarons. My shoulders started shaking.
‘You okay?’ Caelan’s voice carried concern.
I nodded quickly. “Fine.”
But a small giggle escaped anyway.
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