Chapter 261-HoweHad Never Been the Problem
Chapter 261: Love Had Never Been the Problem
Silence lingered between them.
Dominic remained quietly behind Dahlia, his hands still resting lightly on her shoulders as the weight of her words hung heavily in the air.
After a moment, Dahlia lowered her gaze and gently closed the vintage jewelry box before setting it back inside the drawer.
She lifted her eyes to meet Dominic’s through the mirror.
“When the time comes, we’ll face Tobias together.”
She paused, her voice calm yet resolute.
“But before that happens, we need Cecilia to trust us.”
Another brief silence followed.
“She needs to see Damien and Maya’s love with her own eyes… to see the happiness they found despite everything that was taken from them.”
Silence settled over the room once more.
The softness in Dahlia’s expression faded, replaced by quiet resolve.
“Her remorse is the key.”
Holding Dominic’s gaze through the mirror, Dahlia continued.
“Only when Cecilia truly regrets the past will we have a chance of protecting our children.”
Dominic didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, his eyes lingered on the woman before him.
He had known Dahlia for decades.
She had always carried herself with quiet elegance, the kind that never demanded attention, yet naturally commanded respect.
But beneath that graceful exterior was a side of her that very few people had ever seen.
A fiercely protective mother.
A loyal friend who had never stopped searching for answers.
A woman who had quietly carried the burden of Malia’s disappearance for years without ever allowing herself to break.
Sometimes, Dominic wondered if the guilt she carried had become heavier than the truth itself.
Chapter 2014ove Had Never Been the Problem
He gave her shoulders a gentle, reassuring squeeze.
“You’ve been thinking about this for a long time… haven’t you?”
Dahlia lowered her eyes, swallowing against the tightness in her throat as emotion slowly welled inside
her.
“When we were children, Malia and I used to dream about the future together,” she said softly. “We always
believed that one day our children would grow up together, become friends, fall in love, and build the
family we used to imagine.”
A faint, bittersweet smile touched her lips before gradually fading.
“But I couldn’t protect her, Dominic. When she needed me the most… I wasn’t there. And when her children needed someone to protect them… I wasn’t there either.”
She paused, drawing in a shaky breath as a tear slipped quietly down her cheek.
“When her letters suddenly stopped coming, I had this terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was wrong. I couldn’t explain it, but I knew… I just knew. For years, I searched for her. I followed every lead I could find, only to end up at another dead end.”
She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with years of buried regret.
“But perhaps fate had a different plan for all of us. Without either of us knowing, it brought our children together on its own… as though they were always destined to find one another.”
Her fingers curled gently around the pendant resting against her chest.
“And this time, I refuse to lose them too.”
Dominic’s eyes softened.
He quietly knelt before her and gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing away the tear that had escaped down her cheek.
“You’ve blamed yourself for far too long, sweetheart.”
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“What happened to Malia… wasn’t your fault. It was a tragedy no one could have foreseen.”
He rested his forehead gently against hers.
“But if this is the chance fate has finally given us to give our children the happy and peaceful life they deserve… then we’ll see it through together.”
He lingered there for a moment before lifting his gaze to meet hers once more.
“Let’s just hope your plan works.”
For a moment, Dahlia said nothing.
Chapter 26-ad Never Been the Proble
She slowly pulled away, her fingers instinctively finding the pendant resting against her chest.
“A mother’s love is unlike anything else in this world,” she said softly.
“For all these years, Cecilia held on to one hope… that one day her daughter would come home.”
Her voice faltered as she lowered her eyes.
“I can’t even begin to describe how broken she was when she learned her daughter… had passed.”
Another tear slipped silently down her cheek.
“It was as though her entire world had shattered in an instant.”
Her fingers tightened around the pendant before she lifted her gaze to meet Dominic’s once more.
“Heaven forbid… I never want to know that kind of pain, Dominic.”
Her voice trembled despite her composure.
“You know our son. Damien would die for Maya without a second thought. And I refuse to stand by and do nothing, only to spend the rest of my life regretting that I could have done something to protect him.”
She gently took Dominic’s hand in hers.
“You and I both know how hard Malia fought to protect Julian… and where that protection took her. The choices she made… the sacrifices she endured.”
She slowly shook her head.
“What chance do we have? We’re simply not strong enough to stand against the Lockwoods.”
Her hold on his hand tightened ever so slightly.
“This is the only leverage we have.”
She slowly released his hand, her fingers instinctively finding the pendant resting against her chest once
more.
“And if Malia is still alive…”
A faint, bittersweet smile touched her lips.
“I truly believe this is what she would want too.”
Γ
Dominic’s gaze drifted for a rnoment, as though searching through memories long buried:
When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet.
“Tobias loved Malia more than anyone. Everyone knew that.”
His gaze lowered, a hint of sadness crossing his face.
“And yet… when the time came, he still chose his family’s legacy and traditions over his own daughter.”
Chapter 261-Have Had Never Been the Problem
He looked back at Dahlia.
“Even if Cecilia stands with us… what makes you believe Tobias won’t make the same choice again?”
Dahlia closed her eyes for a brief moment.
“Because this time..” she whispered, “it won’t just be Malia he’s looking at.”
She slowly opened her eyes and met his.
“It will be his granddaughter.”
A quiet certainty settled over her features.
份
“She is his flesh and blood. Every time he looks at Maya, he’ll be reminded of the daughter he lost-her eyes, her smile… even her heart.”
A shadow of sadness passed across Dahlia’s face.
“No matter how hard a man tries to bury the past… he can never escape the child he failed.”
Dominic remained silent, the truth of Dahlia’s words settling heavily in his chest.
He couldn’t deny them.
He had witnessed Tobias and Malia’s relationship countless times over the years.
The bond between father and daughter had always been undeniable.
Malia had been Tobias’s princess-his pride, his joy, the one person he treasured above all else.
There had never been any doubt that Tobias loved his daughter.
Perhaps that was what made the tragedy even crueler.
Love had never been the problem.
Pride was.
And when pride won… it was always the people they loved who paid the price.
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Chapter 202 Wac a Father First
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.