Ezekiel left the Delacour estate with a storm of thoughts swirling in his mind. Fleur's words echoed in his head, her gaze lingering in his memory.
"Then what happens now?"
"Do you regret meeting me?"
"This isn't over."
He had given her answers, but they felt incomplete—as if something deeper had yet to be said.
As the carriage took him back to the portkey station, Ezekiel clenched his fists. This wasn't just about a contract.
Something had shifted between him and Fleur.
---
Back at the Malverne estate, Ezekiel walked straight to his father's study. Thomas Malverne looked up from his work, setting his quill down.
"You've returned sooner than expected," his father noted.
Ezekiel exhaled, taking a seat. "I spoke to Fleur."
Thomas leaned back slightly, observing his son. "And?"
"She took the news… better than I expected." His fingers tapped the armrest. "But she's conflicted."
His father nodded knowingly. "Understandable. A bond like that doesn't simply disappear because of duty."
Ezekiel met his father's gaze. "Then what would you do in my place?"
Thomas was silent for a moment before answering. "You're young, Ezekiel, but you must understand—alliances, no matter how beneficial, should not come at the cost of your heart."
Ezekiel's jaw tightened. "So, you're saying I should choose?"
Thomas sighed. "No. I'm saying you should give it time." He leaned forward. "You are not simply a Malverne anymore. You are the Lord of Ravenclaw. That comes with responsibilities—ones that even your heart must yield to, at times."
Ezekiel remained silent, his mind working through his father's words.
After a moment, he stood. "Thank you, Father."
Thomas gave a slight nod. "Take the time to understand what you truly want, Ezekiel. Not just what is expected of you."
---
Later that evening, Ezekiel sat in his study when a letter arrived—bearing the Greengrass seal.
Breaking the wax, he unfolded the parchment.
"Ezekiel,"
"I heard you went to France. Did you tell her?"
"I don't expect you to answer that. But I just wanted to say—I'm not blind to what's happening between you and Fleur. Even if you haven't admitted it to yourself."
"This contract may bind us, but it doesn't mean you have to suffer because of it. I've always known that being your fiancée means accepting the weight of your world."
"Just don't keep everything to yourself. I may not have chosen this either, but I refuse to be just a silent piece on a chessboard."
"Daphne."
Ezekiel ran a hand through his hair.
Why did both of them have to be so perceptive?
He placed the letter aside, his mind more restless than before.
---
Standing by his window, Ezekiel gazed at the moonlit landscape.
Fleur… Daphne…
Two women who had both become significant in his life.
One was tied to him by centuries-old fate. The other by something neither of them could explain.
What was he supposed to do?
For the first time in his life, Ezekiel Malverne didn't have a clear answer.
---