One day, her uncle announces to Ella that she must marry the king's youngest son. Though reluctant to marry a man she does not know, Ella is willing to do anything to escape her uncle's control and the cruelty of her cousins. However, just as she is...
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The declining twilight cast its gentle glow upon the path as Antoine and Ella walked in silence towards the orphanage. Since Antoine had learned about Ella's impending marriage from Emma, a veil of quietness shrouded their steps. Ella, sensing the weight of this silence, felt a profound sense of sorrow. She couldn't ignore Antoine's affection towards her, especially after he had confessed his love following the accident. A tranquil garden behind the stable had witnessed this heartfelt declaration and his proposal, a proposal that Ella had declined.
The young woman was certain of her feelings towards Antoine, perceiving them as those of a sister for a brother. Yet, she found herself at a loss, unable to find the words to express her thoughts without hurting him. Each step brought them closer to the orphanage and the moment when she would have to confront the complex emotions emanating from this unique relationship.
Ella decided to break the silence: "Antoine, your silence worries me." Her voice resonates, carrying the weight of unspoken feelings. Antoine, visibly tormented, finds only a few economical words: "What do you want me to say?"
"I'd like you to talk to me, Antoine."
"I... why choose a stranger over me, Ella? I don't understand... How can you choose this stranger over me? Don't I matter to you?"
"I... of course not, I'm not looking forward to this marriage. It won't be easy, and I'll be alone there..."
"Alone? Ella, you know I'll be there for you. Cancel this marriage, say a word, and I'm by your side."
"Antoine, I..."
Antoine, despite his distress, senses the ambiguity in her feelings. Emma tries to intervene, but Antoine understands even before the words are spoken.
"I understand, Ella. We've arrived, I'll prepare the equipment," Antoine declares with restrained reserve, letting the bitterness of the situation linger.
Ella perceived the distress in Antoine's eyes, but within her, a silent conflict was taking shape. It was precisely this suffering that she had feared, the reason she had turned to this stranger. Even if she didn't feel a particular affection for him, the mere thought of a marriage with Antoine revived memories and pains she preferred to keep in the shadows.
The ancestral estate of the Byrons stood a few steps away from her father's domain, a proximity Ella refused to accept. Antoine had grown up by her side, almost a family member. His presence revived fragments of a past she tried to leave behind. The prospect of seeing Emma and Isabella, in particular, was a gateway to painful memories.
Thus, in the heart of this embrace between the past and the present, Ella felt torn between the compassion she had for Antoine and the necessity of distancing herself to heal her own wounds.
Ella entered the orphanage, greeted by the gentle hum of children and the atmosphere of kindness from the sisters.
"Hello, sisters. How are the children today?" she asked with a warm smile.
