Book two of Adelia Laurentis series [IN-PROGRESS]
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They parted ways but were brought together again. Manipulated to serve a cause, their destiny was their greatest threat.
Amidst the chaos, he loved her to heart's content, and she wasn't even...
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Whatever comes to beauty Is beauty's reward For a good woman, the good man For the empty scabbard, a sword.
- Rumi, Beauty
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March 1862 Cloverville, Louisiana
Adelia sat on the steps of the lake and splashed her feet over the water. Deep in thought, her fingers fiddled with the boot laces kept beside her, thoughts plagued by the recent encounters with Elijah.
Feeling a presence, she turned her head to notice Jasper unlacing his own boots. He joined her, dipping his feet alongside hers and the witch blushed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Is this where Rafael threw you into the water?" he started.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Adelia replied with a chuckle before a silence ensued.
They stared at the floating lilies as she splashed a fistful of water to push it away.
"Will you ever regret marrying me?" Jasper asked her all of a sudden.
Adelia, startled, looked at him before a smile crept over her face. "My father won't settle for anything but the best for me. So if he chose you then I already believe regret will be the last thing I will ever feel in our marriage," the witch answered honestly.
"Your belief in your father is astounding," he chuckled, shooting a pebble into the lake.
"Father gave me a choice."
"So you do want to marry me," Jasper smirked."Already in love, are you?"
"Oh, you are so very kind to say that," Adelia smirked, giving him another pebble.
"Truth is kindness, my sweet," he inferred, throwing the stone as it jumped over the surface thrice before submerging under water.
"You do not believe I am kind?" she questioned, suddenly unnerved, remembering Elijah's words.
She used to be kind, the Original had said.
"You are very compassionate but kindness only comes with acknowledgement and I think you fear your own heart."
"You fear my heart will never come to love you?" she asked, raising her brow.
"It already does, Miss Laurentis," Jasper replied with a smile."But I fear you will come to resent it."
