ELEANOR
(slightly edited)

My cheeks had grown cold, but I ignored the burning feeling. The rush I felt was worth the red-nose I was getting. I leaned forward and gently squeezed my heels against Beau's bulk body. The dark Irish Drought horse galloped faster, letting out a loud neigh as we sped down the snowy terrain. As we neared the icy lake, I tugged on the reigns and clicked my tongue a few times. Beau obeyed my cues and came to a slow halt at our usual spot.

"Good boy, Beau," I cooed as I jumped off the saddle. I patted the horse's shiny coat with a smile.

On the horizon, the sun had begun to shine its rays, and the snow glistened. I watched as the sky transformed its colors into beautiful hues of pink and orange. The colorful scenery and the smell of the fresh morning dew were an experience I'd never tire of. All that was missing was my favorite riding partner.

It had already been two weeks since Ethan left for his duchy, and there was no word of his return. The council kept bringing up new dilemmas for him to resolve. I had hardly been able to speak with him these past few days. I knew Ethan had a lot on his plate, and I wished I could visit him, but Robert's return made it impossible. I still did not trust Robert enough to leave Emma with him, and I also knew if I took Emma with me to see Ethan, Robert would cause a scene. I heaved a sigh, knowing I would have to be patient.

"Let's head home, Beau," I said as I hopped back on the horse's back.

I adjusted the reigns and clicked my tongue while gently squeezing Beau's side to get him to move. The light the sun provided made the ride back much quicker. From a distance, I could see three figures waiting near the stables.

"Mummy!" Emma exclaimed as I reached the stables. She was sitting happily in the arms of her father.

Robert let out a low whistle. "That's quite a beauty," he said, referring to Beau.

"I'm sorry, Your Grace. They insisted on seeing you," the stable lad apologized while bowing his head slightly.

"It's alright, Jack." I dismounted Beau and handed the reigns to the stable lad. "Please take Beau inside and give him a proper grooming."

"Yes, Your Grace." The stable boy walked away with Beau trailing behind him.

"Bye, Beau!" Emma waved goodbye at the horse, and I stared at her in awe.

"I didn't know you could ride," Robert said with surprise. His voice caused my smile to fade.

"There are many things you don't know about me, Mr. Davis," I replied coldly. "Now, to what do I owe the pleasure? I do believe we had an agreement the last time we met."

Robert looked disappointed with my demeanor but quickly masked it with a smile.

"We did," Robert sighed. "But there was someone eager to meet you."

"Daddy said he's my uncle." Emma grinned as she pointed at a tall brunette who stood near the horses' training ground, admiring the young horses inside. Although the boy's back was facing me, I knew who it was.

"Anthony?" I called out, and the boy turned around. I could not believe how much he had grown.

"Eleanor?" Anthony looked surprised with my appearance as well. "Oh my—You've changed so much."

Anthony rushed over to me and enveloped me with a tight hug. The teenage boy I had left behind three years ago was now taller than me and had grown into a handsome young man.

"I cannot believe it's you," Anthony said as he took in every detail of my new appearance. "You look well and happy."

"I am," I said with a soft smile.

"I was devastated when I found out you had left, but I can see now that it was a good change of pace for you." Anthony's words caused his brother to frown. "All of this is yours?"

I nodded proudly. "I was the heir to an Italian duchy when I married your brother. I didn't take the title until after I divorced him, and when I became a Duchess, I inherited all of this."

"If the people who called you a penniless orphan could see you now," Anthony said as his wide eyes looked around.

"Why don't we head inside? It's too cold for Emma to be out here," I suggested, and the two brothers nodded.

"I wouldn't want my niece to catch a cold," Anthony said as he reached out to pinch Emma's rosy cheeks.

"I have four uncles now, mummy!" Emma said giddily.

Anthony scrunched his eyebrows. "You have brothers?" He asked, and I nodded.

"I have two brothers and a sister," I replied. "And there's a family friend that Emma considers her uncle."

"Wow," Anthony whistled. "There was so much we did not know about you. My mother would have a heart attack if she found out."

Anthony was right. Gabriella would have a heart attack if she ever found out that the woman she bullied for being poor had been filthy rich the entire time.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" I asked Anthony, and he shook his head. "I'll have the cooks prepare something for us to eat."

"Actually—" Anthony bit his lip hesitantly. He glanced at Robert and then at me. "I wondered if we could take Emma and you out to eat?"

I looked between the two brothers, and something told me this had to be Robert's idea. I opened my mouth to say no, but Emma stared at me with puppy eyes.

"May we, Mummy?" She begged. "Daddy said they have a playground inside the coffee shop. I've never been to one of those."

I stared at Robert with an icy look, but all he did was smirk. This man was playing dirty. Although I knew it was a bad idea to go with them, Emma's pouty face was something I could not ignore. I couldn't say no to her.

"Alright," I sighed. "Give me a few minutes to freshen up. I will be right back."

"Yay!" Emma cheered, and she high-fived her uncle.

As I walked past Robert, I noticed the mischievous smile on his lips. I had unknowingly walked into the lion's mouth, but I couldn't back out now.

***

Anthony and I sat near the large play area of the cafe, sipping on two iced Americanos. We watched Emma and Robert playing at the sandbox table. They both looked happy. I never thought I'd see this day, but it brought a smile to my face seeing Emma happy.

"I have never seen my brother this happy," Anthony said. "You've given him the greatest gift a man could ask for."

I gave Anthony a small smile. "Despite everything Robert put me through, I am thankful he gave me Emma. She's the only good thing that came from our marriage."

"My brother is genuinely sorry about what he did, El. For once in his life, he's shown actual regret. Trust me, I know when he's telling the truth," Anthony replied. "Do you think you can forgive him?"

I looked over at Robert and Emma again. I knew that Robert would be a part of my life from here on out, and eventually, I would forgive him, but I could not forget.

"With time, yes." I glanced back at Anthony with a short smile. I knew why he had asked the question and who had put him up to it. "But forgiving him doesn't mean getting back together."

Anthony looked down at his coffee with a nervous smile. He knew he had been caught red-handed.

"I know that your life was not easy when you were married to my brother, so I understand why you wouldn't want to get back together with him," Anthony said as he drew circles with the black straw. "But what about Emma? Trust me, as a child who grew up with a single parent, it wasn't easy."

"Anthony, I know what you are trying to do, but it isn't going to work. Robert will always be part of Emma's life. I do not plan on keeping them apart, but I cannot be in a relationship with your brother."

"Is it because of Daisy? He's going to divorce her, trust me. And if you're worried about our mother, I will protect you from her this time. Or we can talk with Robert and—"

"I am in love with someone else, Tony," I sighed, and Anthony turned to me with surprise. "His name is Ethan, and he's been my rock since I left Robert. At first, I only saw him as a friend, but as time passed, things changed. Now, I cannot imagine my life without him, Tony."

Anthony was silent for a few seconds before he gave me a soft smile.

"Does my brother know?" He asked, and I nodded. Anthony turned to look at his brother with a clenched jaw. "Well, he forgot to mention that tiny detail to me."

"I figured as much," I replied. "I know you were just trying to help your brother, but now you know why I cannot be with him."

"I can tell you love this Ethan guy a lot and that he makes you happy. That was all I wanted for you, El." Anthony placed his hand on top of mine. "If I had known you had already moved on, I wouldn't have helped my brother orchestrate this whole plan. I'm sorry for helping that a**hole."

"It's alright," I assured with a slight chuckle. "I know you had good intentions and were just trying to mend things between us, for Emma's sake."

"I still cannot believe I am an uncle." Anthony smiled at his niece.

"What are you waiting for?" I asked, and Anthony turned to me with a lifted brow. "Go and have fun with your niece."

Acting like a puppy who had just gotten permission to play, Anthony rushed toward Emma and Robert. He picked up his niece and placed her on his shoulder. Emma let out a loud squeal, and I chuckled.

"Thank you for this," Robert said as he walked toward me. His hair was a disheveled mess, but somehow, it made him appear more handsome. "She's all I could ever ask for."

I side-eyed him as he took the empty seat beside me.

"It was a real low move to use your brother," I said as I sipped my coffee. "What's next? You're going to use Emma, too?"

Robert gave me a sheepish look. "I don't know what else to do, Eleanor. How can I get you to change your mind?"

"Robert, all you have to do is understand that I am not leaving Ethan." I slammed my coffee onto the table, earning a few glances from the tables near us. "There is no reason for me to be with you."

"Our daughter isn't a good enough reason?" Robert asked. "You may think Emma will be alright with us co-parenting, but she is not. What will happen when I have to go back to New York? Will she be okay with going months without seeing her father?"

"I—" I did not know what to say. I had not thought about that. Would Emma hate me for being the reason she could not see her father daily?

Robert took my hands in his and stared deep into my eyes. His blue eyes held a mixture of regret and implorement.

"Will you put that man above our daughter's happiness?"

I opened my mouth to say something, but from the corner of my eye, I noticed a flash. My eyes narrowed on a man who was hiding behind the fake tree. The tabloids were here. Sh*t.

Word Count: 1982

Author's Note: Hello my beautiful lovelies! I am sorry for not updating on Wednesday. I had a terrible stomachache and I could barely get out of bed. I felt much better today and I was able to finish writing this chapter. What do you think? Will Eleanor feel pressured into getting back with Robert? Will the tabloids create more drama? How is Daisy dealing with the news about Emma? All will be revealed in the next chapter. Thank you all so much for reading. I do hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please feel free to comment, share, and leave a vote (P.s. - I really enjoy reading your comments). I will see you all next week with two new chapters! Bye for now ❤️

CHAPTER XVI WARDROBE
〰️〰️ ♥️ 〰️〰️

ELEANOR

ROBERT

BEAU
(not an outfit but this is how I imagine him to look like :) )