His Heir, Her Secret - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Isla
The weight of my decision to let Lucien into our lives again felt heavier with every passing day. I should have known that once he was back, once he set foot in our world again, I wouldn’t be able to keep him at arm’s length forever. But I had tried. I had tried so hard.
I never expected him to show up the way he had. No grand gestures, no expensive gifts, no trying to buy his way back into my heart. He simply showed up. He spent time with Leo. He played games. He did all the right things—the small things that made it impossible to ignore him.
I had to admit, I had seen the change in him. I couldn’t pretend it wasn’t there. But I also couldn’t ignore the reality of what had happened in the past. Lucien wasn’t just someone I had loved. He was the person who had abandoned me when I needed him the most. He was the father of my son, yet he had barely been there for either of us.
I knew I was being unfair. I could see that. Leo deserved to know his father. He deserved the chance to have a real relationship with Lucien. But I wasn’t sure if I could bear the thought of letting Lucien in again—of giving him a second chance to break our hearts.
I sat on the edge of my bed, the cool evening air slipping through the slightly cracked window. Leo was in the living room, playing with the toys Lucien had brought for him that afternoon. I could hear his laughter from here, light and carefree. A sound I wanted to preserve forever, even though I knew it could all change in the blink of an eye.
I thought back to the first time I’d met Lucien, how he’d swept into my life like a whirlwind—charming, confident, everything I’d never known I wanted. But it wasn’t just his charisma that had drawn me in. It was the way he made me feel—alive, seen, heard. He made me feel like I could be something more than just a small-town girl trying to survive in a world that felt too big.
But then came the secrets, the lies, the betrayal. It was like I’d been living in a dream that shattered the moment I found out I was pregnant with Leo.
I ran a hand over my face, trying to push the thoughts away. The past was just that—the past. But no matter how hard I tried, it still haunted me. Every decision I made felt like it had a shadow following it, a shadow of doubt and fear.
I couldn’t forget what it felt like when Lucien disappeared without a trace. I couldn’t forget the ache in my chest when I realized I was going through this journey alone. And I certainly couldn’t forget the rage I’d felt when I learned he had moved on with his life, leaving us behind like we never mattered.
And yet, here he was, standing in my doorway again. Asking for a chance to prove himself. Asking to be a father to Leo, even though he’d missed out on so many years.
But Leo wasn’t the only one who had missed him. I had, too. As much as I hated to admit it, there was a part of me that still longed for the man I had fallen in love with. The man who had once held me close, told me everything would be okay, and made me believe in something bigger than the world I’d known.
I leaned back against the headboard, closing my eyes for a moment. The silence in the room was suffocating. The soft hum of the city outside was the only thing that kept me tethered to reality. I knew what I had to do. I couldn’t keep Leo from his father. I couldn’t keep pretending that everything would be fine if I continued to keep Lucien at arm’s length.
But I was scared. Scared of being hurt again. Scared of trusting him when I had no idea if he was capable of doing the one thing that mattered the most—staying.
I didn’t want to put Leo through the pain of abandonment again. I couldn’t risk that.
But could I live with myself if I didn’t give Lucien the chance to prove he had changed? Could I live with knowing that Leo might grow up resenting me for not giving him a relationship with his father?
The door to the bedroom creaked open, and I didn’t need to look up to know who it was. Lucien’s presence had become something I was beginning to feel on a visceral level. It was a strange thing, the way he could fill a room without saying a word.
“I thought I’d find you in here,” he said softly, his voice low and cautious.
I opened my eyes, finding him standing in the doorway. His silhouette was framed by the dim light from the living room, and I could see the uncertainty in his posture. He was giving me space, waiting for me to make the next move.
I didn’t speak for a moment, unsure of what to say. Part of me wanted to tell him to leave, to walk out and not come back. But another part of me—the part that was still in love with him, the part that wanted Leo to know him—begged me to let him stay.
“I’m not sure about this,” I said finally, my voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know if I can trust you again, Lucien.”
His face softened, the hardness in his eyes melting into something more vulnerable. He stepped closer, closing the distance between us slowly, cautiously, as if afraid that I might pull away at any moment.
“I know,” he said quietly. “I don’t expect you to trust me right away. I don’t expect everything to be fixed in a day. But I’m here, Isla. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling the weight of his words hit me harder than I expected. It wasn’t just what he said; it was the way he said it. There was sincerity there, an honesty that I hadn’t seen in him before. And it terrified me.
“I want to believe you,” I whispered, the words barely escaping my lips. “But I don’t know if I can.”
He reached out, his hand hovering just above mine, as if asking for permission to touch me. I didn’t move, but I didn’t pull away either. I let him take my hand, his fingers warm and steady against mine.
“I know you’re scared,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “I know I’ve hurt you, and I know I’ve failed you. But I’m here, Isla. And I’m going to do everything I can to make things right—for you, for Leo.”
I closed my eyes, letting out a shaky breath. I had never felt more conflicted in my life. I wanted to believe him, but the scars from the past were too deep to just ignore. I needed more than words. I needed action. I needed him to show me he could stay. For good.
“I don’t know if I’m ready for this,” I said, opening my eyes again to meet his gaze. “I don’t know if I can let you back in.”
Lucien squeezed my hand gently, his gaze never leaving mine. “I understand. And I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”