Page 15 of Essence of his Soul

He shrugged like it didn't matter. "Does it make a difference?"

"It makes all the difference in the world," I shot back, folding my arms across my chest. "You're asking me out of some sense of obligation, and I'm not about to say yes to a pity proposal."

"Who said anything about pity? Maybe I genuinely want this," he said, sounding defensive.

I rolled my eyes, not buying it for a second. "Come on, Mark. Would you be here now if Tyler wasn't in the picture?"

"I've been back in town for a day, and most of that time has been spent with you and Tyler. What does that tell you?"

"That you're dodging the question," I countered, my voice softening. "Look, I get that you want to do right by your son, and I respect that. But marrying me just because we have a child isn't the answer. Marriage is hard enough without starting off on shaky ground."

"I can be a good father," he said, his voice gentle and sincere.

"I can see that," I replied, surprised at how calm I felt saying it, even though my stomach was tied in knots. "And you don't need a ring on my finger to do that."

"You shouldn't have to do this alone," he pressed, his tone growing more insistent.

I let out a dry laugh, shaking my head. "Oh, so now you're swooping in to save the day? Do I look like some damsel in distress to you?"

"No, you look like the mother of my child, and our son deserves to have both his parents together. I want him to have my last name."

"He already has a name: Tyler Dane Monroe, and it suits him just fine," I replied firmly. "However, changing his last name to Saunders is open for discussion."

Mark ran a hand over his face, clearly frustrated. "Why are you being so damn stubborn?"

"This isn't nineteen-fifty, Mark. I don't have to marry you just because we have a kid together."

He reached out and gently lifted my chin, forcing me to look directly into his eyes. "Is marrying me really that unthinkable?"

"Yes," I whispered before I could stop myself. I couldn't marry a man who didn't truly love me. I wasn't about to sign up for a lifetime of wondering if he was with me out of love or justduty.

Mark let his hand drop, exhaling slowly. "You know, you're probably the most complicated woman I've ever met."

"Trust me, the feeling's mutual," I replied, giving him a small, sad smile.

A brief silence settled between us before he spoke again, his voice softer. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Do you love me?" The question hung heavy in the air between us.

I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. "I got over you a long time ago."

A spark lit up in his eyes. "If you loved me once, who's to say you can't love me again?"

I shook my head, trying to ignore the tiny voice inside me that wanted to believe him. "It's not that simple."

"Why not?" he pressed.

"Because I need more than just words. I need to know that you're all in, not just here out of some sense of responsibility or guilt."

He reached for my hand, his touch warm and reassuring. "Essence, you've been on my mind for two years. Letting you go was the biggest mistake I ever made."

I looked down at our intertwined fingers, feeling the walls around my heart crack just a little. "Words are easy, Mark."

“I’m back,” he said, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life wondering what if. I want to build something real with you—with us. Tyler deserves that, and so do we.”

Mark’s grip on my hand tightened, and when I looked up, I saw the raw determination in his eyes. “Essence, I want to be with you because I want you.”

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