Page 95 of Her Redeemed Protector

“Can we talk inside?”

“Absolutely not!”

“Fine. We talk here then.” He continues earnestly, “Back when we were still in Lakefall, you said I lacked commitment, that I put ambition before us. Now, I’m ready to provide everything we need, for us and for Kayla.” He produces an old photo from his wallet, showing Kayla on Misty with me beside them, a clear play on nostalgia.

I sigh, almost speechless at this man’s insistence. “Please, just go home before my dad shows up. Trust me, my fist will be the least of your worries then.”

“Ah, that brings me to another point,” Fabian counters, undeterred. “Your dad. He never did approve of us, did he?”

“He never trusted you, and I was a fool to ever think differently.”

“But your mom…” he begins, a cautious note in his tone.

I cut him off, eyes shut tight. “Don’t, Fabian.”

“Your mom was kind to me,” he presses, unfazed by my warning.

I open my eyes and fix him with a hard stare. He’s not wrong. Mom, with her traditional views, somehow saw something redeemable in him. Maybe it was hope, or perhaps fearthat I’d end up alone. She was well aware that the likelihood of love at Lakefall Valley was as rare as finding the den of a lone wolverine. She passed away before our split, before she could see the man he’d become. A cold, calculating businessman.

Ignoring my glare, Fabian reaches into his pocket and pulls out an engagement ring, sinking to one knee. “Marry me, Savannah Mitchell. Make me the happiest man on earth.”

I look down at him, a wave of embarrassment washing over me for both of us. Perhaps there’s sincerity in his eyes, a flicker of genuine feeling amid the mess of our past and the custody battles. Yet, it’s hard to trust, with my heart already promised to another.

He waits for my response, his hopeful gaze pinning me in place. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

The ring sparkles, a beautiful but hollow gesture. Love isn’t something you can secure with diamonds or grand gestures. “Fab, we’ve both moved on.”

“I haven’t,” he insists stubbornly.

“I love Huxley. You need to accept that.”

“And where is he now?” Fabian challenges. “If you were really with him, he’d be here, wouldn’t he? Standing between us, defending you.”

“That’s exactly your problem, Fab. You’re all surface, only believing what you can see,” I counter.

“Listen, Savannah. I’m not the asshole that you think I am. I swear, I’ll buy back the Mitchell Ranch and restore it to its former glory. That land has suffered enough, and you shouldn’t have to carry this sadness.”

“You were the angel of doom. Now you’re trying to be noble?” I snap back.

“It doesn’t matter how often you say that, Savannah. Mystory hasn’t changed. I didn’t help West Sun, and I had nothing to do with the Brutes.” His voice is steady, but I can’t find it in me to believe him. I just want him gone, out of my space.

Undeterred, he presses on. “The ranch has been passed around so much, the price is embarrassingly low now. You know the current owner is just using it for a hunter’s lodge? It’s barely more than a shack. They’re desperate to sell.”

His words sting. “You sure know how to hit where it hurts!” I retort, my anger so intense I feel immobilized.

Seeing my distress, he apologizes. “Savannah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

I pull away from his attempted comfort.

He lowers his voice to a whisper, hopeful. “I just want you to believe in me. I know I’ve mentioned this before, and you dismissed it. But this time, I have everything lined up. Funds, contractors, permits, timelines. I can show you everything.”

His offer touches on a dream long buried. But can a dream really compensate for everything else?

I’m resolute, though. The last time I saw the ranch, it was beyond recognition, scorched and barren. “My answer is still no,” I say firmly.

He runs a hand through his hair, frustration and resignation mingling in his expression. “I’ve got to admit, you haven’t changed at all, and I respect that.”

“Not even your respect can sway me,” I say, cracking the door open just enough for me to slip through, not him.

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