Between love and destiny

Since that night, Dahlia couldn't ignore the restless feeling that kept haunting her.

The face of the red-eyed man kept appearing in her mind, as if carving a wound that had been there long before she realized it.

But there was something else that confused her even more—Ronan.

He was always near her, always watching over her, always making sure she was safe.

Dahlia couldn't ignore the way Ronan looked at her, as if she was his old love, the only thing worth having in this world.

But how could she possibly return the love he showed her, if she didn't even remember him?

***

That morning, Ronan led her into a room in the palace that she had never been in before.

The room was filled with old books, scrolls of parchment, and ancient statues that were already dusty.

"What is this place?" Dahlia asked, her voice full of curiosity.

"The royal library," Ronan replied. "But more than that, it is a place that holds a history that has been forgotten."

Dahlia walked slowly, tracing the spines of the books neatly arranged on the towering wooden shelves.

"I want you to see something," Ronan said, and took a book from the highest shelf.

She watched as he carefully turned the pages, stopping at one in particular.

As she looked, her body stiffened.

There, there was an ancient painting—a woman standing in the moonlight, her long hair flowing in the wind, and behind her, a majestic white wolf protecting her.

The woman... looked like her.

Dahlia swallowed.

"What does this mean?" she whispered, her hand shaking slightly as it touched the page.

"That was you, Dahlia," Ronan answered. "In our past life."

Her heart beat faster.

"I..." Her voice was barely coming out. "I don't remember."

"But you will," Ronan said, his voice quiet but firm. "And I will be here to help you."

Dahlia closed her eyes for a moment.

Every day since she came to this palace, she felt more and more immersed in something she did not understand.

It was as if there were two worlds within her—one was her present life, and the other was a shadow of a life long past.

And Ronan...

He was the only thing connecting the two.

***

As the days passed, Dahlia began to notice changes in herself.

Her dreams became more and more real.

Sometimes she woke up with a deep sense of loss, as if something had been taken from her.

Sometimes she felt a strange warmth when she was near Ronan, as if her body recognized his touch even though her mind did not.

But there was also a growing fear within her.

Because the more she tried to understand her past, the more she felt that perhaps fate had played a cruel trick on her.

***

One night, Dahlia stood on her balcony, gazing up at the star-filled sky.

Footsteps could be heard approaching, and soon Ronan was standing beside her.

"You seem restless again," he said, his voice low and soft.

Dahlia took a deep breath. "I just... wonder."

"About what?" Ronan asked.

"About us." Dahlia answered.

Ronan stiffened, but he remained silent, allowing Dahlia to continue.

"If I am the same person as I was in the past..." Dahlia turned to look at him. "Then why can't I feel what you feel?"

Ronan stared at her deeply, his golden eyes filled with something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"You will, Dahlia," he whispered. "In time."

Dahlia bit her lip, mixed feelings filling her heart.

"And if I never remember?" she asked softly.

Ronan stared at her without blinking, then raised his hand, starting to touch her cheek gently.

"Then I will make you fall in love with me again," he said.

Dahlia's heart was beating fast.

Her eyes met Ronan's, and for a moment, the world around her disappeared. The gaze was so intense, it made her drown.

But before she could say anything, the night wind blew hard, and a bad feeling crept into her heart.

She couldn't run away from her destiny.

"Sleep, don't think about anything." Ronan whispered. With his hand holding Dahlia's cheek and stroking her cheek with his thumb gently. Then he pushed Dahlia's hair behind her ear and whispered again "I will always protect you"

Dahlia got goosebumps because that the whisper. She Shocked, she was overwhelmed by a mix of tension, nervousness, and other swirling emotions. Before she got lost in those feelings, she hurried to her room.

Ronan just smiled seeing Dahlia leaving him with a blushing face.