Emily crossed her arms, her eyes flashing. "I'm not sure I want to hear what you have to say. »
"Emily, please," Stella interjected, her voice soft. "We have to be honest with you. »
"Fine," Emily said, her tone acerbic. "Speak. »
Lucas took a deep breath. "Emily, Stella's children...they are mine. »
Emily stood frozen for a moment, as if she hadn't understood. Then, slowly, the information seemed to seep into his mind. " What ? How could you hide this from me? » His voice shook with anger and pain.
"I didn't know, Emily," Lucas replied, desperately. "I just found out about it myself. Stella kept it a secret to protect the children. »
Emily turned her furious gaze to Stella. " And you ? How could you do that? How could you lie to both of us? »
"I'm sorry, Emily," Stella whispered, feeling the tears return. "I thought it was the best thing to do at the time. I didn't want to hurt anyone. »
"Hurt anyone? Do you realize what you did? You destroyed my life! » Emily cried, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
Lucas moved closer to Emily, trying to calm her down. "Emily, please. Let's try to understand and find a solution together. »
"There's nothing to understand! » Emily yelled. "I can't believe you did this to me. We were meant to be a couple, a team. And now I find out you have kids with another woman! » She turned abruptly and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
The silence that followed was heavy and oppressive. Stella felt devastated, knowing that she had contributed to this disastrous situation. "I'm sorry, Lucas," she said softly. "I never wanted it to happen like this. »
"It's not your fault, Stella," he replied, his voice hoarse. "We've all made mistakes. But now we have to face the consequences. »
They stood there in silence, each lost in their thoughts. Lucas knew he had to talk to Emily, try to fix what could be fixed. But he also knew it wouldn't be easy.
The next morning, Lucas got up early, determined to talk to Emily. He found her in the kitchen, her eyes red and puffy with tears. "Emily, we need to talk," he said softly.
She looked at him, pain and anger still present in her eyes. "What do you mean? What else do you want to explain to me? »
"I want you to understand that I didn't know any of this," he replied, trying to remain calm. "I'm as shocked as you are. But we have to find a way to overcome this. For us. »
Emily stared at him for a long moment, then shook her head. "I don't know if I can, Lucas. I don't know if I can forgive you for that. »
"I understand," he said softly. "But I'm willing to do anything to try to make things right. Please give me a chance. »
Emily sighed deeply, tears falling again. "I don't know, Lucas. I don't know if I'm strong enough for that. »
"You're one of the strongest people I know," he said, his voice full of sincerity. "And I believe in us. We can get through this, together. »
She didn't answer, just looked at him with infinite sadness. Lucas knew it would take time, but he was determined not to give up. For them, for Stella, and for the children.
Meanwhile, Stella stood aside, respecting the space Emily needed. She knew things would never be the same again, but she hoped that one day they could all find a way to coexist peacefully.
The following days were marked by intense discussions and emotional confrontations. Lucas and Emily worked hard to rebuild their relationship, while Stella tried to find her place in this new dynamic. The children, for their part, felt the tension, but found comfort in the love of their mother and the presence of Lucas.
One evening, after a particularly trying day, Stella and Lucas found themselves alone on the terrace, watching the sun go down. "Do you think we can ever be happy, Lucas? » Stella asked softly.
"I hope so," he replied, taking his
Hand in his. "But whatever happens, I'm grateful that you're here, with me. And I will do everything in my power to ensure that we all find peace and happiness. »
Stella smiled weakly, feeling a glimmer of hope rising within her. They had a long way to go, but for the first time in a long time, she felt like they had a chance to build a future together . Lucas stood still, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on Stella. The truth slowly took shape in his mind, each piece of the puzzle falling into place. He had spent the night thinking about everything he had learned, all the little things that now made sense. The triplets, their ages, Stella's furtive glances, the distance she had put between them... Everything fit together perfectly.
He took a deep breath, searching for the right words. "Stella, we need to talk," he finally said, his voice betraying the tension he felt.
Stella, sitting on the sofa, looked up at him, worry showing on her face. "Lucas, I...I know you have questions. I'm ready to tell you everything. »
He nodded, taking a seat across from her. "Children, Stella. They're mine, aren't they? »
She closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a long sigh. "Yes, Lucas. The triplets are yours. »
A heavy silence settled between them, each second seeming to last an eternity. Lucas felt overwhelmed by a wave of conflicting emotions: joy, anger, confusion, betrayal. "Why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep me out of their lives? »
Stella lowered her head, tears beading in the corners of her eyes. "I thought it was the best thing to do at the time. After our night together, you found your destined mate. I saw how happy you were with her, and I didn't want to complicate your life. I decided to leave and raise the children alone. »
"Stella," Lucas whispered, his heart heavy with sorrow, "I would have supported you. We could have found a solution together. »
"Maybe," she replied softly. "But at that moment, I thought letting you live your life with your mate was the best thing to do. I didn't want to be the cause of your unhappiness. »
Lucas stood abruptly, pacing around the room. "You don't understand, Stella. You deprived my children of their father. You deprived me of seeing them grow, of knowing them. »
Stella stood up in turn, her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Lucas. I know I made a mistake. But I really thought it was the best decision for everyone. »
Lucas stopped and looked at her, pain and love mixing in his eyes. " And now ? What should we do? »
Stella approached him, placing a trembling hand on his arm. "I don't know, Lucas. But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make things right. For you, for me, and especially for the children. »
Lucas took her hand in his, squeezing it gently. "We have to be honest with them, Stella. They have the right to know. »
"Yes, they deserve it," she replied, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "And they deserve to know you, to know how much you love them. »
They spent the rest of the day talking, planning how to tell the children the truth. Lucas felt a new determination born within him. He had a second chance with Stella, a chance to right the wrongs of the past and build a better future.
That night, after putting the children to bed, Lucas and Stella found themselves alone again. They sat together on the sofa, the silence between them this time being marked by understanding and complicity.
"Stella," Lucas began, searching for words, "I feel something strong between us. This bond... it's like I'm rediscovering you, like you're my second wind. »
Stella looked at him, her eyes shining with emotion. "I feel the same way, Lucas. Since I came back here, I can't stop thinking about us, about what we could be. »
"I think you're my second chance, Stella," he said softly. "My destined mate, my true love. »
Stella felt her heart racing. She never stopped loving him, even after all these years. And now he was offering her a chance to start over, to experience the love she had always hoped for.
"I love you, Lucas," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I've always loved you. »
He took her in his arms, holding her close to him. "I love you too, Stella. We will get through this together. I promise you. »
Their embrace tightened, each heartbeat resounding like a promise of renewal. They knew the path would be difficult, strewn with obstacles and challenges. But together, they were ready to face the future, united by love and the determination to rebuild what had been lost.
The next morning, Lucas and Stella woke up with new energy, ready to face the day and the challenges ahead. They made breakfast together, laughing and chatting as if they were making up for years of lost bonding.
After waking the children, they sat them around the table, gently but firmly explaining the truth to them. The triplets listened attentively, their eyes widening as the revelation made sense.
"So you're our dad? » asked one of the boys, his eyes shining with emotion.
Lucas nodded, tears in his eyes. "Yes, I'm your daddy. And I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. »
The children rushed towards him, wrapping their little arms around him. "We love you, Dad," they said in unison, their voices trembling with emotion.
Stella looked at them, her heart overflowing with gratitude and love. She knew the road would be long, but in that moment, she felt that anything was possible. Stella and Lucas were sitting at the kitchen table, a heavy silence floating between them. The children were playing in the next room, their carefree laughter contrasting with the palpable tension in the kitchen. Stella had a confession to make, a painful truth to reveal, and she didn't know how Lucas would react.
Taking a deep breath, she finally broke the silence. "Lucas, there's something you need to know. Something I haven't told you until now. »
Lucas looked up, his eyebrows furrowing slightly in worry. "What is this, Stella? »
"When I left," she began, her voice trembling, "I took hemlock. »
He remained silent, trying to understand the significance of his words. "Hemlock? For what ? »
Stella closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her courage. "To remove the companion link. I didn't want to feel this pain, this loss. I didn't want to risk suffering again. »
Lucas felt a wave of pain pass through his heart. "You took hemlock to cut me out of your life? »
"No," she answered quickly, with tears in her eyes. "Not to kill you, but to protect me. I knew you were happy with your partner, and I didn't want to be a source
of pain for you. I needed to be able to move forward, to be able to raise our children without being haunted by this bond. »