Page 74 of A Prescription to My Heart

The moment Marigold turns her back, I finally crack.

“Why did she call me that?” My voice is shaky, barely a whisper. “Why did she say... Mommy?”

Soren’s expression softens, and he sets a bag down on the couch, walking toward me slowly, cautiously.

“Is there somewhere private we can have this talk?” he asks.

I nod limply walking toward my bedroom and he follows after giving Marigold a strict instruction to stay put. As soon as he closes the door behind him, he faces me.

“Talia,” he says gently, “what are you saying?”

I’m sobbing now. “Marigold. She called me mommy—twice.”

“Talia,” he whispers gently. “It was an accident. She didn’t mean it.”

I nod, but the sting still lingers. “I know, but... it feels so real, Soren.”

He doesn’t say anything at first. Just stands there, his eyes studying me carefully. “What do you mean?”

I can’t help the tears that finally spill. They’re not loud or dramatic, but they’re there, running down my cheeks. “I never meant to fall for you. I never meant for it to feel like this. But I did. And now I don’t know how to protect myself. How do I stop this? I-I can’t hurt her…”

He steps closer to me, his voice softer now, full of concern. “You won’t hurt Marigold, Talia. And you don’t need to protect yourself from me. You’re not the only one feeling this way.”

I shake my head, feeling completely lost. “It’s too much. Everything is too much.”

He reaches out, cupping my face in his hands. His touch is warm, grounding. “You’re not alone. You never were. Don’t push me away. Please.”

I close my eyes, the burden of everything pressing down on me. His words are everything I want to hear, but they also terrify me.

And then, Soren leans forward, his thumb brushing away the last of my tears. He whispers, “Stop trying to fight it.”

And in that moment, I realize he’s right. I’ve been fighting something I can’t control, something I don’t want to control anymore. I’ve been fighting this feeling. This love.

I open my eyes and look at him. And for the first time, I know: I’m done fighting.

Chapter 18

Soren

Idon’thesitate.Thewordshave been building up in me for days, for weeks, ever since the first moment I realized just how much Talia means to me. How much she’s meant to me. It’s been so hard to keep them inside, to fight the urge to tell her, to show her, because I’ve always been scared of getting hurt again. Losing Lisa was the hardest time in my life.

But I’m done with being scared, because I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.

She’s standing in front of me now, still holding herself back, the walls around her so tightly built up, and I can see the uncertainty in her eyes. The fear, the hesitation. But it doesn’t matter anymore. Not when I know what I feel.

“Talia,” I say her name, my voice steady, but my heart pounding like it’s trying to break free from my chest. “I love you.”

The words hang in the air, raw and real, and for a moment, the silence stretches between us, thick and heavy. She looks at me, her brow furrowed, her lips parted as though she’s about to say something—maybe an excuse, maybe a question, maybe a rejection. But I don’t give her the chance to say it.

“I love you,” I repeat, stepping closer, closing the distance between us. I can see it in her eyes—she wants to believe me, but she’s scared, and I don’t blame her. I can feel the same fear, but it doesn’t change what I feel.

“I’m not doing this because I think it’s some kind of game,” I continue, my voice rising with the intensity of the emotion that’s flooding my chest. “This is real. This...you... it’s all real. You’re one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. You and Marigold. The two of you are my world now.”

Her eyes flash, the war within her obvious—she’s fighting the truth that’s right in front of her. She opens her mouth, probably to say something, but I don’t let her.

“I know you’re scared,” I tell her, stepping even closer now, my breath mixing with hers. “Believe me, I’m scared too. But this isn’t something I’m willing to walk away from. Not you, not Marigold. You’ve changed my life in ways I didn’t even know were possible.”

She shakes her head, her voice small, her fear clear. “You don’t know me, Soren. You don’t know the real me. I’m not the person you think I am. This... it’s all happening so fast.”

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