Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)

Did he really forget about this place ages ago? Thinking it over, it made sense. With his kind of money, digging up someone's info is probably a breeze. Emma's garden sprawled across a spacious 2000 square feet, bursting with the season's blossoms. It was that magical The garden buzzed with locals, the community leader sitting across from Dustin, looking a bit jittery as he glanced around. Flanking Dustin were two kids, each a mirror image of him. Jaime had those charming, puppy-dog eyes that hinted he'd be a future heartbreaker, clearly taking after Dustin. Heather, on the other hand, was a perfect mix of both parents, with her fair skin and neatly tied pigtail buns, sitting quietly like the little darling she was.

time when spring flirted with summer, and the air was thick with the fragrance of flowers.

The villagers were gathered around, completely captivated. "Can't deny it, that kid's the spitting image of Emma." "Ever since we got cable last year, have you seen those fashion channels? All those models overseas, they've got Emma's look-sharp features, even skin tone." "Guess we just didn't know what we had, huh?" "Both kids are Emma's? What did she eat during her pregnancy? They're absolutely glowing."

By the time Emma made her way outside, the crowd had grown, blocking her path entirely. Jaime's eyes brightened when he spotted her in the crowd, and in his excitement, he tried to leap off his stool. Being small and in a rush, he took a tumble, and tears flowed immediately. Seeing her brother cry, Heather's eyes welled up too, her mouth quivering on the brink of a sob.

Dustin put down his tea cup, "No crying." At his command, Jaime stifled his sobs, shakily getting back on his feet. Heather, with great effort, swallowed her tears. Both kids were exceptionally adorable.

Standing there, Emma felt an overwhelming urge to flee. She couldn't grasp why Dustin was here. His presence didn't bring joy but rather a sense of dread. It felt like meeting Dustin meant losing something. She couldn't bear to lose anything more.

Dustin, too, spotted Emma amidst the crowd. She looked healthier and more confident than she ever did as a broadcaster. It hit him that the stunning leopard was indeed better suited for the wild. He regretted not cherishing her, letting her get hurt, and then retreat back to her sanctuary.

"Emma." He called out her name but

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stayed put. The kids immediately rushed to Emma, each grabbing onto one of her legs. "Mommy! Mommy The community leader, bit more educated than the average villager and less interested in gossip, grasped the situation. Emma hadn't returned to the village for a year, likely due to some discord with Mr. Lynch. Now, with Mr. Lynch's arrival, it seemed he was here to take her back to Beaconsfield.

He quickly urged the onlookers to disperse, leaving just the two adults and their little ones. Emma felt as if she'd been frozen in place. With a child clinging to each leg, she dared not move, fearing she might hurt them. Her initial months in the countryside had been a blur, blindly following the community leader's instructions without a thought of her own, eager to rush through the rest of her days.

The following months saw her waking up, haunted by dreams of Peyton, which kept her mood low. Recently, she'd started to adjust but dared not touch that old phone again. She hadn't realized how much the kids had grown, now even capable of speech. Suddenly, facing everything felt overwhelming, and she was unsure how to react.

From a distance, she saw that Dustin had taken good care of the kids; they looked healthy and happy. It must have been tough for him, all alone this past year. Emma had initially sought refuge here, adopting an ostrich's approach to escape her troubles.

Dustin stood still for a moment

before stepping closer, wanting to

hold her but hesitant to reach out. Their moments of intimacy had been few and far between. Half year age, he'd finally remembered their night together in that cave, how passionately he'd felt. And yet, he'd cruelly forgotten, leaving her to fend for herself in Beaconsfield.

Thankfully, he'd launched her career, but at the cost of exposing her to endless gossip.

Dustin's visit was the result of lengthy contemplation, encouraged by Brielle's persuasion that if he didn't act now, Emma might move on and find someone else in the village. Jaime and Heather's constant inquiries about their mommy revealed to Dustin a vulnerability he hadn't known he possessed.

Emma, with her eyes downcast in

front of the children, couldn't bring herself to address Mr. Lynch. Instead, she asked, "What are you doing here?" Dustin felt a pang of sorrow, taking Jaime by one hand and Heather by the other. "Thought we'd come see you," he said, using the kids as a pretext while his gaze lingered on her face. He wanted to seize the moment, to take in every detail of her face.