There was silence between them for a few minutes. They both leaned against the weathered wood of the small bench and took their time to breathe. Their agitated hearts needed to calm down. In the distance, a lone bird dared to sing a song. The wind, tugging at them, was undeterred in its play, and the reeds bent like a humble servant. The lake's water rippled idyllically as it lapped against the stones of the shore. Small pebbles of varying sizes, from tiny lumps to thumb-sized stones, adorned the shore between the clear water and greenish algae.

Ryker glanced at Eve out of the corner of his eye. He saw her fiddling restlessly with her fingers and staring at the lake, also lost in thought, before she sighed softly and timidly.

"I failed," he finally heard her murmur quietly beside him and turned his head in her direction.

"This was my chance ... the chance for a fresh start, and I couldn't take it because ..." Her lips trembled almost imperceptibly as she broke off and lowered her head. The young woman next to him looked sad and broken.

'It couldn't just be because she had lost the store. ' There's more at stake here. The way she clawed her hands into the dark fabric of her skirt, causing it to form tiny but tight folds, confirmed his suspicions.

"So you didn't win the bid," he murmured softly, saying what he already knew through Sally. But there was more. He was sure of it. The whole thing was much more complicated than he had suspected. And he needed to know what was going on. Not just the obvious. But also what was hidden behind doors that had remained closed to him all this time.

"What next?" he asked. His voice remained calm and composed, although he would have liked to speak more forcefully. But he didn't want to offend her either. They had only known each other for a few days; they were still strangers, and he had to be careful how much baggage he placed on this young trust, especially in moments like these.

Next to him, the blonde's gaze suddenly turned back to him. Had he stirred up a vesper's nest or a bleeding wound? It was a tricky balancing act to nudge her enough to make her come out of her shell and be considerate sufficiently at the same time. Besides... he wanted to distract her so she didn't lose herself in her sadness. He didn't want to see her cry anymore.

"You don't understand," her voice sounded a little firmer but rough as she returned his gaze without averting her eyes. Like a sheet of ice on a lake, there was no telling how thick it was and what it could withstand. Her shoulders lifted, almost like she had to arm herself or defend herself.

'But against what?' he asked himself.

"Then help me to understand," he asked softly and meant it.

Evelyn's shoulders suddenly slumped again as if no one had ever asked her that before and as if she didn't know how to respond to this request.

"I never had anything of my own. I was always dependent on others. Many years from my husband, after all, I was just a housewife. I stayed at home, cooked, cleaned, and looked after Liam. That was my job. We never really had anything left over. And now I'm on Ri's back. Having my own bakery and patisserie... or a café... that's always been my dream. Something that would allow me to be independent and contribute to my life and that of my son. Not to be dependent on others and to earn my own money."

He could hear the melancholy in her words. His features inevitably softened, and a faint smile crept onto his lips. Not because her thoughts amused him or he was making fun of her dream. Something about her reminded him of himself. He, too, had had to start over and learn to get back on his feet after being knocked down.

Ray stretched a little, pressed his well-toned back against the wood of the bench, and finally clasped his hands behind his head, his gaze fixed on the lake. There was silence for a moment as she stopped speaking, and he pondered her words.

"Are you going to give up now because of the setback?" he finally dared to ask. He knew that he was venturing into the middle of a minefield. Words could hurt, but they could also heal. Sometimes, you had to dig up a bomb and defuse it to get rid of it finally. But to do that, you had to face it in the dirt. The only hope was that the bomb wouldn't go off before it was rendered harmless.

He turned his head almost imperceptibly and looked back at Evelyn, staring at him with a furrowed brow as if he were one of those complicated puzzle boxes. But he also recognized uncertain doubts and the deep pain in her eyes.

Sighing, he uncrossed his fingers and lowered his arms before turning to face her fully. The wood beneath them was damp, the wind cold. But this place radiated a calm that gently drove the conversation forward.

"They say many roads lead to Rome, Eve," he finally said, placing his hand warmly over her cold fingers. "There's more than one way to realize your dream. Life never makes it easy; it tests you with pitfalls and setbacks. The challenge is to get up again and again. To face your destiny and keep going, no matter how rocky the road seems."

And damn, he knew how hard that was. Ray knew it all too well, having been in the same situation for years. Like her, he had had to fight out of a deep, black hole after losing everything.

Fate had also put blades in his back, yet here he was. But it wasn't easy. And not everyone managed to get up again - especially not alone. And that had nothing to do with strength or weakness. It was okay to get help. But it was always easier to advise others than to follow it yourself.

"Listen, Eve, even if the die seems to have been cast now, the battle is not yet lost. So stand up and fight for your dream; I'll have your back. Just like Riona, I'm sure," he assured her with an encouraging smile as he stroked her small hand gently and comfortingly. She was so cold and seemed so vulnerable that she awakened an old, buried desire in him. To protect her, even if she was to be the child-kidnapping monster in this case. But he wasn't thinking about that now.

"You may not realize it, but as a stranger, I see things from a different angle. It's not you who needs Riona. She needs you. The cottage won't run half as well without you." A soft chuckle escaped him. "No offense, but she has no idea what to do with the guest house. You make sure it's cozy."

A slight smile crept onto her lips and made his heart beat faster for a moment. It suited her, and it was the first time Eve had given such a genuine smile not only to Liam or Riona but also to him.

"I think you underestimate Ri," she said without letting the tentative smile on her lips fade. "She was the only one who came to America when her grandmother needed her family. No one else wanted to help her. Riona left everything behind, and she's got more going for her than first meets the eye."

Ray laughed softly and shrugged slightly. "Maybe. But I think you're leaning on each other, and you're underestimating yourself."

He could only say what he saw. And so far, it had always been Evelyn who had whirled around the rooms, cooked, and done the other small jobs. The exact opposite of what Dylan had said. Of course, he didn't deny that Riona made an effort. She worked nights and brought the money they desperately needed into the cottage. Besides, Riona was there for her grandmother, who would never have been able to stay at the house otherwise. But... "I mean that you measure yourself too much against others and don't see your own achievements."

This time, Eve blinked at him, and Ray could see she was caught off guard by his words. Why was she so blind to what she was doing? Had no one ever told her...?

"Thank you, Ray," the young woman murmured then, and her flushed cheeks almost seemed to intensify. He guessed she wouldn't just believe him. It wasn't easy to overcome When you were down and doubting yourself. But it was a start.

"I'll try," Eve conceded at least, and the smile on her face became a little more honest. "You ... you're right. If I give up now, I'll lose everything again." She paused for a moment, and her hand in his moved so that she could squeeze his fingers lightly. "And at least it's true: I don't have to do all this alone anymore.«

"No, you're not," Ray confirmed, gently squeezing her hand back. Then he rose from the bench and stretched. A slight shiver ran over him as the cold wind slowly made him feel cold. Especially in the places that were soaked with mud. Nevertheless, a broad, soft smile was on his lips as he held his hand to Eve.