He turned around to see Rosamund sitting on the sofa, gently holding Lorelai and Gemma against her sides, softly comforting them until their breathing slowed down and their panic completely vanished.
Chadworth walked over slowly and sat down on the low wooden coffee table across from them.
“How long has this been going on, Rosamund?” he asked softly.
Rosamund looked up, her dark eyes filled with deep empathy and honesty.
“Nearly four months, Mr. Prescott. Ever since the engagement was officially announced.”
Chadworth lowered his head, a heavy weight pressing down on his chest.
“Why did no one come to me sooner?”
“We tried to tell you, Daddy,” Lorelai whispered, looking at him timidly. “When we told you she was being mean to us… you told us we had to give her a chance. You said she was going to be our new mother and that we were just being difficult because we missed Mom so much.”
Those words cut deeper than any knife.
Chadworth remembered that exact conversation, realizing how his own career distractions had made him dismiss his children’s genuine cries for help.
“I failed you both so terribly,” Chadworth said, his voice breaking as tears spilled down his face.
He covered his face with his hands in deep shame.
Small, warm hands reached out and gently pulled his wrists away.
Lorelai and Gemma leaned forward, wrapping their arms tightly around his neck once again.
“It is okay, Daddy,” Lorelai whispered softly against his ear. “You came back for us today. You believed us.”
“I will always believe you from now on,” Chadworth promised firmly, squeezing them tight. “I promise you that as long as I live, no one will ever harm you or come between us again.”
After a long moment, Chadworth released his daughters and turned his attention toward Rosamund, who had quietly stood up to give the family their privacy.
“Rosamund,” Chadworth said, standing up to face her.
“Yes, Mr. Prescott?”
“You saved my children today,” he expressed with profound sincerity. “You stood up to a cruel woman who threatened your livelihood, your freedom, and your reputation, all to keep my daughters safe. Most people would have stayed silent to protect themselves.”
“I could never do that, sir,” Rosamund answered humbly with a gentle smile. “I lost my own mother when I was very young, so I know what it feels like to have no one standing up for you. Lorelai and Gemma are wonderful girls, and they deserve to feel completely safe inside their own home.”
