The morning sunlight streamed through Ella’s kitchen window as she finished packing the boys’ bags. Leo and Liam were bouncing around, their excitement infectious as they prepared to spend the day with Ethan.
“Mommy, can we go now?” Liam asked impatiently, tugging at her hand.
Ella smiled, smoothing his messy hair. “Almost, sweetheart. Just let me grab my keys.”
“Daddy promised to take us to the park!” Leo added, practically vibrating with energy.
Ella’s heart ached as she watched them. Seeing how happy they were to spend time with Ethan gave her a sense of bittersweet relief. She was glad they were building a relationship with their father, but it was a constant reminder of the complicated web her life had become.
After dropping the boys off at Ethan’s, where he greeted them with a warm smile and a quick wink at Ella, she drove toward the cafe where Fabian had asked to meet her.
Ella stepped into the bustling cafe, scanning the room until her eyes landed on Fabian. He was seated at a corner table, his hands wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee. His face was worn, shadows under his eyes betraying sleepless nights.
“Hi, Ella,” he said as she approached.
“Hi,” she replied softly, taking the seat across from him. “How are you?”
“I’m okay,” Fabian said, his voice low but steady. “How’s everything with you? The boys?”
“They’re good,” Ella said, a small smile playing on her lips. “They’re spending the day with Ethan.”
Fabian nodded, his gaze dropping to the table. “That’s good. They deserve to have their dad around.”
There was a moment of silence, the air heavy with unspoken words. Ella decided to break it first. “Fabian, why did you want to meet?”
He looked up at her, his expression conflicted. “I… I heard what Tania did with the twins. The kidnapping attempt. I can’t believe she stooped that low.”
Ella’s stomach tightened at the mention of that dark moment, but she forced herself to stay calm. “It’s over now,” she said, her tone firm. “I don’t want to dwell on it anymore.”
Fabian nodded, his jaw clenching. “I just… I wanted to tell you I’m sorry, Ella. For everything. For betraying you, for keeping secrets. You didn’t deserve any of it.”
Ella sighed, her fingers tracing the edge of her coffee cup. “Fabian, I’ve spent so much time being angry-at you, at Tania, at Ethan. But holding onto all that anger isn’t helping me or my boys. I’ve forgiven you.”
His head snapped up, surprise flickering across his face. “You… you’ve forgiven me?”
“Yes,” she said firmly. “You made mistakes, Fabian. Big ones. But you also saved my life when it mattered most. I can’t ignore that.”
For a moment, he simply stared at her, emotions warring in his eyes. Then he exhaled, a small, grateful smile tugging at his lips. “Thank you, Ella. That means more than you know.”
“Well,” Fabian began after a pause, his tone shifting. “There’s something else I wanted to tell you. I’m leaving the city.”
Ella blinked, taken aback. “You’re leaving?”
He nodded, swirling the remnants of his coffee absently. “I need a fresh start, Ella. There’s too much history here-too many reminders of things I can’t fix.”
Ella studied him carefully. “What about Grace?” she asked softly.
Fabian’s expression softened at the mention of his daughter. “Grace is better off without me right now,” he admitted. “She’s in good hands with you and Ethan. And I know you’ll take care of her, Ella. You’ve already done so much more for her than I ever could.”
“Fabian, she’s your daughter,” Ella pressed. “You can’t just walk away.”
“I’m not walking away,” he said firmly, meeting her gaze. “I’ll stay in touch. I’ll send letters, call when I can. But Grace needs stability, and I’m not in a place to give her that. Not yet.”
Ella wanted to argue, but the sincerity in his voice stopped her. Fabian truly believed he was doing what was best for Grace, even if it meant stepping back.
“You’re sure about this?” she asked, her voice quieter now.
He nodded. “Yeah. I’ve thought about it a lot. This is what I need to do-for her and for myself.”
The two sat in silence for a while, the noise of the cafe fading into the background. Ella felt a pang of sadness at the thought of Fabian leaving. Despite everything, he had been a part of her life for so long.
“When are you leaving?” she asked finally.
“Tomorrow,” Fabian said. “I wanted to see you one last time before I go.”
Ella reached across the table, placing her hand over his. “I hope you find what you’re looking for, Fabian. And I hope you come back one day-when you’re ready.”
“Thank you, Ella,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “For everything. For forgiving me, for giving me a chance to make things right.”
She smiled faintly. “Take care of yourself, Fabian. And don’t forget-Grace will always need her father, no matter what.”
“I won’t forget,” he promised.
As they left the cafe, Fabian turned to her one last time. “Goodbye, Ella.”
“Goodbye, Fabian,” she said, watching as he walked away, his figure growing smaller with each step.
Ella stood there for a moment, the weight of the encounter settling over her. Fabian’s departure marked the end of a tumultuous chapter in her life, but it also felt like the beginning of something new.
With a deep breath, she turned and headed back to her car. There were still battles to fight and wounds to heal, but for the first time in a long while, Ella felt a glimmer of hope.
As they left the cafe, Fabian turned to her one last time. “Goodbye, Ella.”
“Goodbye, Fabian,” she said, watching as he walked away, his figure growing smaller with each step.
Ella stood there for a moment, the weight of the encounter settling over her. Fabian’s departure marked the end of a tumultuous chapter in her life, but it also felt like the beginning of something new.
With a deep breath, she turned and headed back to her car. There were still battles to fight and wounds to heal, but for the first time in a long while, Ella felt a glimmer of hope.