Chapter 5

Back in the day of the ball.

The opulent decor of the Duke of Hawthorne's office provided a stark contrast to the tension that hung thick in the air. Eleanor Fairfax stood before him, her hands trembling with nerves. Seeing her, he decided to break the silence that had filled the room.

"Eleanor," Daniel said, his voice soft but tinged with uncertainty. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this private meeting?"

Eleanor took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she knew would be the most difficult conversation of her life. She met Daniel's gaze head-on, her eyes brimming with emotion as she prepared to reveal the truth that she had kept hidden for so long.

"Duke Hawthorne," she began, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. "I have come to you tonight with a matter of great importance—one that concerns both you and me."

Daniel raised an eyebrow inquisitively, his interest piqued by Eleanor's cryptic words. "Please, go on," he urged, his curiosity growing with each passing moment.

Taking a deep breath, Eleanor plunged forward, her words tumbling out in a rush as she struggled to articulate the truth that had weighed heavily on her heart for years.

"Your Grace, the child I brought with me to the ball tonight—Oliver—is your son," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "After we parted ways all those years ago, I discovered that I was pregnant. I tried to reach out to you, to tell you the truth, but your family prevented me from contacting you."

Daniel's eyes widened in shock, his mind reeling with the magnitude of Eleanor's revelation. He had never suspected that he had fathered a child with her, never even considered the possibility that their brief affair had resulted in such a profound consequence.

Duke Daniel Hawthorne's expression was a mixture of shock and disbelief as he listened to her confession.

"Eleanor," Daniel began, his voice barely above a whisper, "are you telling me that Thomas is my son?"

Eleanor nodded, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Yes, Daniel," she confirmed, her voice barely audible. "After we parted ways, I discovered that I was pregnant. I tried to contact you, but your family prevented me from reaching out to you."

Daniel's jaw clenched as he struggled to process Eleanor's words. "Why would they do that?" he demanded, his voice tinged with anger.

Eleanor shook her head, her heart heavy with the weight of her past struggles. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice trembling. "But it doesn't matter now. What's important is that you know the truth."

Daniel's gaze bore into hers, his expression unreadable. "And what do you expect me to do with this information?" he asked, his tone cold and distant.

Eleanor felt a pang of hurt at his words, but she forced herself to stay strong. "I want to give Thomas to you, Daniel," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I want him to have the life and opportunities that I could never provide for him. And I believe that you are the best person to give him that."

Daniel's eyes narrowed as he regarded her, his expression inscrutable. "So you're just going to abandon your own child?" he accused, his voice dripping with disdain.

Eleanor's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she met Daniel's gaze, her heart heavy with the weight of her decision.

"Because I love him, Daniel," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "And because I know that he will be safe and loved in your care."

"Are you implying that if he's with you he's not safe?" said Duke Hawthorne with obvious confusion. 

"Your Grace,"her face and voice became serious "a lot has happened in the five years we've been apart, and please allow me to know better what is best for my own child."

Daniel's gaze softened slightly at her words, but his expression remained guarded. "And what about you, Eleanor?" he asked, his voice softer now. "What about your happiness?"

Eleanor's resolve wavered at his question, her heart torn between her love for Thomas and her longing for a life of her own. "I'll be fine," she insisted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've endured worse."

Daniel's eyes softened at the pain in her voice, his heart aching for the woman he had once loved. "Eleanor," he began, his voice gentle now, "you don't have to do this alone. We can figure this out together."

But Eleanor shook her head, her resolve firm. "No, Daniel," she insisted, her voice trembling with emotion. "This is the only way."

And with that, she turned on her heel and fled from the room, leaving Daniel alone with his thoughts and the weight of their shared past bearing down upon him.

Alone in the quiet sanctum of his office, Duke Daniel Hawthorne sat behind his mahogany desk, his thoughts consumed by the revelation that had rocked his world to its core. Eleanor's confession had shattered the carefully constructed walls he had built around his heart, leaving him vulnerable and exposed to a truth he had never dared to imagine.

Oliver. His son. The name echoed in Daniel's mind like a solemn vow, stirring a maelstrom of emotions within him. How could he have been so blind to the existence of his own flesh and blood? How could he have let Eleanor slip through his fingers without ever knowing the truth?

He closed his eyes, trying to make sense of the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. The image of Eleanor standing before him, her eyes filled with tears as she confessed the truth about Oliver, haunted him like a specter from the past.

He remembered the day Eleanor had walked out of his life, leaving behind nothing but unanswered questions and shattered dreams. He had never understood why she had left him, why she had abandoned their love so abruptly. And now, faced with the revelation of their son's existence, Daniel found himself grappling with a newfound sense of responsibility—a responsibility he wasn't sure he was ready to bear.

But as he sat alone in his office, the weight of Eleanor's words pressing down upon him, Daniel couldn't shake the feeling that he had failed her somehow. He had failed to protect her, failed to give her the love and support she so desperately needed.

And now, she was offering him the chance to make things right—to take Oliver into his care and give him the life he deserved. But could he truly be the father that Oliver needed? Could he overcome his own doubts and insecurities to be the man Eleanor had once believed him to be?

As he pondered these questions, Daniel's thoughts drifted back to the memories of his time with Eleanor—the stolen moments of passion and tenderness, the whispered promises of a love that had once seemed unbreakable. He remembered the pain of their separation, the emptiness that had consumed him in her absence.

But now, faced with the reality of their shared past, Daniel found himself longing for a chance to make amends—to prove to Eleanor that he was worthy of her love and trust. And perhaps, in doing so, he could finally give Oliver the family he had always deserved.

With a determined resolve, Daniel rose from his chair and made his way to the door, his heart heavy with the weight of his newfound responsibilities. He didn't know what the future held, but one thing was certain—he would do whatever it took to protect his son and win back the heart of the woman he had never stopped loving.