Compromise…
“Ashley,” Lucas said, his voice measured.
“Lucas,” I responded, keeping my tone even. I walked forward and took the seat across from Simon, who had, till this moment, not had the decency to greet or acknowledge my presence except for the nod he had previously given. For a few moments, there was nothing but silence between us-an unspoken standoff of sorts.
“I appreciate you coming,” Lucas began, his eyes searching mine for any sign of vulnerability. Simon, on the other hand, remained quiet, his piercing gaze unwavering. “I know this isn’t easy.”
I crossed my arms, leaning back in my chair. “Let’s skip the pleasantries, Lucas. What do you two want? What’s so important that you had to call me out of nowhere after all this time?”
He shifted slightly, clearly not expecting me to be so direct. He turned to face Simon, as if they had both rehearsed what was about to be said next, waiting for the moment to say it together. “We all know exactly why I reached out,” Simon began, and I turned my head, urging him to proceed with whatever he had to say. “It’s about the boys. I want to talk about their future.”
I stiffened. This was exactly what I had feared. “Their future?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “And what does the future of my pups have to do with you two? Leave that to my husband and me to worry about, thank you. We don’t need the help of the royal family in our personal matters, okay?”
Lucas’s jaw clenched, and I could see the flicker of frustration in his eyes. “Ashley, just cut the crap, okay? You can continue lying to the people who are stupid enough to believe that those children belong to your so-called husband, but we all know they’re ours, our flesh and blood. They’re heirs to the throne-our sons. They deserve to be with their family, to be raised as leaders. Keeping them hidden away won’t change who they are. Listen, Ashley, these boys have royal blood running in their veins, and it doesn’t matter how much you try to hide them. The truth will come out, whether you like it or not.”
My hands curled into fists under the table, my pulse quickening. “I don’t know what the heck you two have told yourselves, but I don’t have to tell you that my sons are the biological offspring of my husband, George Stone. There’s no Salvatore in my sons’ names-they are Luke Stone and Simeon Stone, respectively.”
“Oh wow, such interesting choices of names you have for them,” Simon said, and I bit my lip angrily for spilling out information that contradicted my earlier stance. “Care to explain why their names seem so similar to ours?”
“Well, I… I just… I…” I stammered, and Lucas held up his hand to dismiss me.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but we’ve done our research and dug deep. So once you’re tired of keeping up this charade, I suggest we continue this conversation more smoothly,” Lucas said, joining Simon, who had been leaning back in his seat. I took a deep breath, realizing they weren’t lying or willing to accept my story about the twins’ paternity.
“Fine, whatever, you both know now. So what?”
“You do realize that if we wanted to take legal action against you, we could get you arrested on the basis of treason.”
“What do you mean by that? Committing treason to a place I have no identity or association with? Are you being serious right now?”
“Ashley, you not only identified yourself as the mate to the kings, but you also birthed the future heirs to the throne. And you think you wouldn’t get into trouble for hiding them from everyone?”
“I don’t understand. Am I supposed to be thanking you or acknowledging that you both ruined my life?”
“We didn’t ruin your life, Ashley. Remember, you were the one who chose not only to betray us but also the kingdom at large. You’re lucky we didn’t turn you into the kingdom’s officials; otherwise, you’d probably be rotting somewhere with no one to help.”
I rolled my eyes as he spoke, scoffing aloud at his words.
“Oh, so I’m supposed to do what now? Fall at your feet and worship you both? I honestly can’t believe that even after so long, you both still don’t know the truth about the witch you not only breathe the same air with, but also dine, wine, communicate, and practically live with.
“But you do realize that this is not really about you or the past we shared together, right? Well, it might be a little, but really, it’s about our sons. Why have you chosen to keep them hidden?
“I’m not keeping them hidden. I’m protecting them. You both know that I have been keeping them away so they don’t meet you two, but besides that, you should know as well as I do that once the world finds out who they are, their lives will change forever.”
“And that’s exactly why they need to be here,” Lucas argued, his voice tightening. “With us, where we can prepare them for what’s coming.”
I shook my head, refusing to let him sway me. “You both had your chance to be in their lives, Lucas. You and Simon walked away. You don’t get to waltz back in now and decide what’s best for them.”
A flash of guilt crossed both their faces, but it was quickly replaced by determination. “You’re right-we made mistakes. But that doesn’t mean we don’t care about our sons or their future. We want to make it right, Ashley, at least for them. We want to be there for them now.”
I leaned forward, my voice low and steady. “This isn’t about making things right. This is about power. You want to use them to solidify your claim, don’t you? The boys are more valuable to you now because they’re your ticket to keeping control of the kingdom.”
Lucas flinched but didn’t deny it. “It’s more complicated than that.”
“No, it’s not,” I said sharply. “And you know it.”
We sat there, staring each other down, the weight of years of unresolved tension pressing in around us. Finally, Lucas exhaled slowly, his voice softer this time.
“I understand your anger, Ashley. I do. But this is bigger than both of us. The boys will eventually have to take their place in the world. You can’t keep them from that. The truth is that even if you try your best to keep them away from the throne, it will still find a way to reach them whether or not you like it. Don’t try to keep them from their true identity.”
“And I won’t,” I said, my voice just as soft but firm. “But I won’t let you use them, either.”
Lucas was silent for a moment, his gaze flickering with something I couldn’t quite place. Was it regret? Resignation? Whatever it was, it didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to let either of them manipulate me-or the boys.
“I want to offer a compromise,” Simon finally said. “One that benefits all of us.”
I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
“Let the boys come to the palace, spend some time here, learn about their heritage. They can go back to you whenever you want, but they need to start preparing for the future. And in return, I’ll make sure you have a seat at the table-on your terms.”
I stared at him, considering the offer. It wasn’t what I expected, and yet, it still left a bitter taste in my mouth. “And if I refuse?”
Lucas’s gaze hardened. “Then I’ll have to take other measures to ensure they get what they need.”
A chill ran down my spine, but I didn’t let it show. “Is that actually supposed to be a threat?”
“It’s a reality,” he replied calmly. “I’m trying to avoid that outcome, but I will do what’s necessary for my sons.”
I held his gaze, feeling the tension between us deepen. This was far from over, but one thing was certain: whatever happened next, it would change everything.