"Right, everyone out, now!" Marcus appeared at the door and said in a tone that brooked no argument. His sharp voice replaced the warmth I felt from Margaret.

Margaret looked at me in confusion. "Who is he?"

"Marcus, what on earth are you doing?" I demanded.

He looked into my eyes. They were a cold, icy blue, "It's the weekend," he said as if it was obvious.

"And?"

"And we said I'd live in town during the week and spend the weekend here with you," he said.

"That agreement ended when you cheated on me with Zoe," I said. I couldn't believe he could forget so easily within a few days.

"We're still engaged, you're still mine," he said, taking a step towards me.

"As you didn't get it last time, this is me ending our engagement," I said, taking the ring off my finger and throwing it at him.

Marcus's face fell as the ring bounced off his chest and landed on the floor. He bent down to pick it up, a mixture of desperation and determination in his eyes.

"Evie, please," he began, his voice softer now, almost pleading. "Zoe meant nothing. It was a mistake. A stupid, meaningless mistake."

I crossed my arms, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. "A mistake? You call cheating on me a mistake?"

He stepped closer, reaching out to touch my arm, but I pulled away. His fingers hovered in the air for a moment before he dropped them to his side.

"Yes, a mistake," he insisted. "I was drunk and confused. I didn't know what I was doing."

"That's not an excuse, Marcus," I snapped, feeling the sting of betrayal all over again.

"I know it's not," he blurted. "But you have to believe me when I say that you're the one I love. You're the one I want to be with."

I shook my head, disbelief mingling with anger. "How can you say that after what you did?"

"Because it's true," he said earnestly. "I've been an idiot, Evie. I've taken you for granted. But losing you," He paused, swallowing hard. "Losing you would be the biggest mistake of my life."

I felt a pang of sadness at his words, but tried to push it away. "You should have thought about that before."

He ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated and helpless. "I know, and I'm sorry. But can't we at least talk about this? Give me a chance to make it right?"

I looked at him, seeing the raw vulnerability in his eyes that I had rarely seen before. Part of me wanted to believe him, to think that maybe we could fix this. But another part of me knew that trust once broken is hard to mend.

"Marcus," I began, but my voice faltered.

He seized on my hesitation. "Please, Evie. Just give me one more chance. Let me prove to you that Zoe meant nothing and that you mean everything."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself amidst the whirlwind of emotions. "How do I know you won't do it again?"

"You don't," he admitted quietly. "But I promise you I'll do everything in my power to make sure it never happens again."

The sincerity in his voice was undeniable, and for a moment, I wavered.

"Just talk to me," he pleaded again. "We owe it to ourselves to at least try."

The room fell silent as his words hung in the air between us.

"Evie, this isn't safe. We're leaving," he said, nodding towards the door as if trying to be reasonable after threatening me would make a difference.

"No," I said. "You can't just come in here and tell me what to do. This is my home, my business. Nothing to do with you anymore."

He stepped closer to me. "Evie, you're being naïve," he sneered. "This place is just a weird time bomb waiting to go off."

I lifted my chin. "How would you know? You haven't bothered to spend any time here. Just so you know, I'm not going anywhere. And neither are my guests. Not until they're ready to leave."

He looked down at me, frustration etched on his face. I held his gaze.

Marcus's gaze didn't falter, the muscles in his jaw working as if he were grinding his teeth. I don't think I had ever stood up to him like this before. "Evie, you're playing a dangerous game here. 

You don't know what you're getting into if you stay in Llyncroft." He sneered, nodding towards the village.

I bristled, "I think I have a pretty good idea, Marcus. I'm not the one invading someone's home and making threats."

He leaned in closer. "You really think you can handle this, Evie? Because I won't be there to pick up the pieces when it all goes wrong."

That's when I felt it, a solid presence behind me like a rock in a storm. I didn't need to look to know who it was.

"Miss Hartwell does not need picking up," Gideon said, his voice rumbling from behind me. His words were like iron, and there was no mistaking the strength behind them.

Marcus straightened and turned his head to acknowledge Gideon's towering form. "This is none of your business."

Gideon stepped forward until he was next to me, a reassuring wall. "It is my business when you choose to intimidate someone under my protection."

Marcus narrowed his eyes as he took in Gideon. "Your protection? How is it your business? What can you offer her?"

Gideon chuckled darkly. "More than you know, mate. It became my business when I had to rescue her after you abandoned her. "

The air crackled between them. I placed my hand on Gideon's arm. I could feel the firmness of his muscles through his shirtsleeve. His body heat and calmness soothed my nerves.

"You don't have to do this," I said, not taking my eyes off Marcus.

Gideon didn't respond but gave my hand a gentle squeeze, a promise he wasn't going anywhere.

"It's time for you to go, Marcus. You've said your piece."

Marcus held my gaze for a long moment before snorting and stepping back. "Fine," he said. "But remember this, Evie. You chose this. Whatever happens next is on you."

Marcus stormed out, leaving the front door open. The room was quiet except for the soft ticking of a clock and the whisper of leaves from outside.

Marcus had been like a whirlwind. There was a space, a cold draught in the room where his anger had been. My hands shook like leaves in the breeze and my heart was racing in my chest. I could feel it thumping against my ribs as if it wanted to escape.

I turned to Gideon. "Thank you," I said, my voice barely audible.

Gideon looked into my eyes. "You don't need to thank me," he said. His voice was deep, the kind that reverberated through your bones and calmed your nerves.

I felt myself sway as the adrenaline that fuelled my defiance ebbed away, leaving me feeling shaky. I wasn't sure if it was relief or fear.

Gideon must have noticed, as he stepped closer and pulled me into a hug. His arms were strong and warm as they enveloped me. I allowed myself to lean into his embrace. The smell of iron and earth was oddly comforting.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I let it out slowly. The tension in my shoulders eased under his wordless reassurance. Gideon's hug was like a safe haven. It grounded me. I rested my head against his chest. I realised it was more than Marcus had ever given me. I had always been there for him, but he had never been my emotional rock. More like a rockslide.