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My pulse quickened slightly at the seriousness in his tone. “Then what can I do for you?”
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It’s about Mila.”
“Mila?”
“Yes.” He fixed me with a look that could pin a butterfly to a board. “I want to talk about your intentions with my daughter.”
Sunlight filtered through thin curtains, casting a glow on the man who had invited me into his home. His fingers laced together, rested on his lap, and he offered me a nod of acknowledgment.
“Cassius,” Theo began, his voice firmer than I expected for someone in his condition, “I’m not a man who beats around the bush. I’ve watched my Mila carry burdens far too heavy for her young shoulders.”
I nodded, aware of the weight she shouldered daily. “She’s an incredible woman.”
“That she is,” he agreed with a small chuckle. “And so much more than a maid at the Wintertide. Mila has dreams, aspirations that go beyond cleaning rooms and scrubbing floors.”
The earnestness in his eyes told me this was no idle conversation; this was a father’s plea. “I’ve seen her potential, Mr. Johnson. It’s one of the many things that draw me to her.”
Theo leaned forward slightly, his eyes searching mine. “She could do great things if given the chance. She’s got her mother’s spirit and my stubbornness.”
“I believe it,” I replied with sincerity.
A silence fell between us before Theo spoke again, his voice softer but laden with importance. “I’ve made a decision regarding my children, Rachel, Chad and Mila.” he said, his gaze unwavering.
My attention sharpened at the mention of Rachel and Chad. “What kind of decision?”
“After I’m gone… I’m naming Mila as their guardian.” His words hung in the air like a sacred vow.
The gravity of what he was entrusting to Mila hit me with full force. It was an honor and a colossal responsibility all at once. “That’s a big role for her to fill,” I said cautiously.
Theo nodded slowly. “Yes, but there’s no one else I trust more to raise them right—to keep our family together.” His voice cracked just slightly.
Understanding dawned on me then—the reason for this meeting, for Theo’s penetrating gaze that seemed to look right through me. He wasn’t just sharing his plans; he was measuring my worthiness to stand by Mila’s side as she faced what lay ahead.
“I won’t let her face that alone,” I promised, more to myself than to Theo.
His expression softened as he leaned back in his chair, and it felt like an unspoken agreement passed between us—an agreement that I would be there for Mila and her family, come what may.
The apartment’s walls were lined with memories, photographs of a family smiling through better days. Theo sat in his armchair, a stalwart figure against the march of time, his eyes carrying the torch of a life well-lived.
I shifted in my seat, the fabric of the couch whispering beneath me. A heartbeat passed—two—then I mustered the courage that had built up like pressure in my chest. “Theo, there’s something else.” I paused, searching for the right words. “I want to be more than just support for Mila… I want to be her partner in every sense. I want to marry her.”
The air turned thick with anticipation as Theo regarded me with an intensity that bore straight into my soul. His silence was a gavel waiting to fall.
“You’re asking for my blessing,” he stated, more than asked, his voice carrying a weight that filled the room.
“Yes,” I admitted, feeling the full gravity of what I was asking. “I am.”
He leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving mine, and every tick of the clock was a drumbeat to my anxious heart.
“You’re a man of wealth and power,” Theo began slowly, each word measured and deliberate. “But those aren’t the things that will make my Mila happy.”
“I know,” I said quickly, eager to convince him. “It’s not about what I have—it’s about who I am when I’m with her. She makes me better… and I love her.”
Theo’s gaze held mine as he considered my plea. The room felt smaller somehow, every breath magnified.
“Mila doesn’t need a savior on a white horse,” he said finally.
I leaned forward earnestly. “I don’t want to be her savior. I want to stand with her, shoulder to shoulder.”
