Chapter 53

Since Stella was still regaining her strength, the duty of escorting guests out fell to Carl and Sawyer.

As the guest of honor, Eliana found herself swept into the stream of farewells whether she liked it or not.

While the bustle carried on, Tristan stepped toward Stella.

The sight of the tall, refined man brought a quiet warmth to her expression. There had been a time when they might have become family, but that path had closed long ago. She admired him still, though she had no intention of meddling in the life he had now.

"I have a feeling I know what's on your mind. If you have a moment, why don't we sit down and talk?" Stella suggested.

The evening's pace had left her feeling slightly unsteady; she needed to take a seat and get some rest.

Tristan offered no protest, and together they walked to the lounge on the first floor.

When she reached for the coffee pot, he was already stepping in."A∥low me."

With smooth, practiced movements, he filled her cup first before tending to his own, the faint steam curling upward between them.

The small act stirred a hint of regret in her. Men with that kind of grace and consideration were rare in their world. Louis had spoken highly of Tristan after meeting him only once, and now she understood why. Still,some things were left to chance, and his heart was clearly promised elsewhere.

"Have some coffee. Watch out-it's hot,"Tristan said, his tone warm but careful.

"Ah, yes." The words pulled Stella from her thoughts, and she offered him a gentle smile."We've had so many visitors today. I'm sorry if our reception fell short."

"You've been nothing but gracious. I'm the one who arrived without notice. If anyone should apologize, it's me." It struck Stella then that she had never actually sent him an invitation. She'd meant to, but after hearing from Eliana that he was already seeing someone, she had decided against it.

"When Lia brought it up earlier, I felt it was a shame. I'll speak to your father myself.Since you and Eliana clearly weren't meant to be, I see no point in forcing it. We can let the engagement go and keep our families close in other ways."

The words carried the quiet assurance that Stella had no objection to breaking things off.

Tristan's brows tightened ever so slightly.

"I'm curious... What exactly did she say to you?" He gave a short pause before adding, "I tend to be vague without realizing it, so maybe she read me wrong."

Read him wrong? Stella faltered for a moment, then said, "Lia told me you already had a girlfriend. That you couldn't agree to this marriage, and she was just passing along your refusal."

"Girlfriend?" The word seemed to catch Tristan off guard. "I'm not seeing anyone. Work has been taking up all mytime, so I haven't even thought about it."

Her eyes grew wide with surprise. "No one at all? But Lia swore you had someone you truly cared for-"

"Then she must have misunderstood."

"Well..." A spark of hope flashed in Stella's gaze. "So you're telling me.:. there's no one?"

He gave a single, firm nod. "That's right. No one."

Her eyes brightened all over again. Still, she knew better than to assume his being unattached meant he'd agree to marry. Eliana.

Choosing her words with care, she said,"Your mother and I were close. We even carried you both at the same time, which is why we arranged this match in the first place." /

Tristan nodded in response.

Eighvale had been Stella's home for most of her life before she married Louis, and her bond with Joanne Pearson, Tristan's mother, went back to the days when they ran through its streets as inseparable girls.

Fate,however,had played its tricks. Tristan had been placed in the wrong family at birth, and by the time he was restored to his own, Joanne was already gone.

Though the memories never belonged to him, his father had once told him about the friendship between Stella and Joanne.

Something about the way she carried herself stirred an odd flicker of familiarity in him.

"But," said Stella as she steered the talk elsewhere, "I've never been one to control my children's lives. Love should be a choice you youngsters make for yourself."

Her gaze held steady while she continued, "You know what our family's going through. That scandal tied to Sheldon Torres has made us easy prey for gossip. I only spoke to your father about the engagement because | wanted to protect Lia. You know her background. She grew up far from us, surviving hardships out in the countryside. I can take whatever's thrown at me, but I can't watch her get dragged down with me.I figured if you were there beside her, no one would dare touch her."

Stella's eyes reddened as she spoke.

Tristan reached over and passed her a tissue.

With a small, thankful smile, Stella took it. "I let my emotions get the.better of me. You probably thinkI'm being foolish."

Tristan shook his head with quiet certainty."What I see is how deeply you care for Eliana. I've never had the chance to feel what a mother's loveis like."

Her hand stopped mid-motion as she dabbed at her tears. Silence lingered before she said softly,"YOU mother was an extraordinary woman. If she'd known you were her son from the start, she would have moved heaven and earth to keep you from suffering."

Tristan nodded. "I believe that. A woman without compassion wouldn't have allowed a child born outside her marriage to live in peace. If she hadn't been kind, I might not even be standing here." Tears shimmered in Stella's reddened eyes as she murmured, "Her compassion saved her own child...I believe she can rest easy now, knowing the man you've become."

A faint smile tugged at Tristan's mouth. "I believe so too."

Long before he knew the truth about his birth, he had crossed paths with Joanne. Back then, in her eyes.he was only the unwanted child of another woman yet she had never treated him with malice. On rare occasions, she had even extended a kindness he wasn't expecting.

In his mind, she remained one of the rarest sorts of people-good through and through.

Regret lingered that they had never been mother and son in life.

A quiet heaviness settled between them.

Breaking it with a small smile, Stella said, "You camne to tell me about calling off the engagement, didn't you?It's alright. I won't bring it up again, and I'Il speak to your father myself. Thinking I could use your happiness as a shield for Lia...that was selfish of me."

"Not at all." Tristan sat up straighter, his voice firm. "I've met Eliana enough times to know... she's remarkable."

Her expression froze, disbelief flickering in her eyes. "Are you serious? This isn't just something you're saying to comfort me?"

"I mean every word. But I'd rather keep the engagement off the table for now. She doesn't return my feelings, and I think it's better to give us time. If we push the idea now, I'm afraid she'll only distance herself further."

Stella nodded eagerly."Alright. We'll leave it be for now."

"Still, I promise you this. Engagement or not, I'll look out for her. No one will lay a hand on her without answering to me."

She was just opening her mouth to thank him when the door creaked open.