Chapter 202: Protecting His Domain.
"I’m so sorry for your loss, my lord," she said, her tone sincere.
He studied her for a moment, as though gauging the depth of her sympathy. Then, with a sigh, he replied, "Thank you. It’s been... difficult."
Salviana nodded, allowing a comfortable silence to settle between them before speaking again. "Rose is a lovely child," she said gently. "She has your strength, I think."
Warren’s lips twitched in the faintest hint of a smile. "She’s stronger than she knows," he admitted. "I only wish I could... be more for her."
Salviana regarded him thoughtfully. Rumors had painted him as a neglectful father, but now, sitting beside him, she saw a man burdened by grief and regret.
His absence from Rose’s life wasn’t born of apathy, but of a deep, unshakable sorrow.
"My lord," she said after a moment, "it’s never too late to be what she needs. I’m certain she would want nothing more than to have her father by her side."
Warren’s expression softened, though his gaze remained distant. "You’re kind to say so," he murmured.
"It’s the truth," Salviana insisted, her tone firm but encouraging. "And until you’re ready, I’ll do my best to care for her in my own way. But don’t wait too long, my lord. She’s a child for only so long."
Warren nodded slowly, the weight of her words sinking in. "I’ll think on it," he promised, though his voice carried the uncertainty of a man still wrestling with his demons.
Salviana rose, smoothing her skirts as the first drops of rain began to fall. "Thank you for speaking with me, Lord Warren," she said with a polite bow.