Marked By the Pureblood Alpha (Deanna and Luis) novel Chapter 286

**Chapter 286: Honey**

**Deanna’s POV:**

The stillness of the room was abruptly pierced by Malcolm’s voice, layered with a hint of regret. “I didn’t comfort you last night. I’m sorry.”

Setting my cup down gently, I felt the warmth of the tea still radiating through my fingers. “Thank you, Mr. Faulkner. You truly saved me. If it weren’t for your intervention, I might not even be here today,” I replied, my voice steady but laced with sincerity.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Malcolm’s face, a shadow that hinted at deeper emotions. “But in your heart, I’m still just ‘Mr. Faulkner.'”

His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken longing. I could feel the weight of his expectation pressing down on me, a reminder of the emotional chasm that still lay between us.

With a mix of curiosity and vulnerability, I finally summoned the courage to ask the question that had been gnawing at me for far too long. “Why do you like me? We haven’t really known each other for very long, have we?”

A soft smile broke across Malcolm’s face, illuminating his eyes with a warmth that momentarily made me forget my turmoil. “Liking someone is a feeling that transcends time. If I were to claim that I can’t live without you at this very moment, you might dismiss it as mere flattery. But Deanna, what I truly want to convey is that I don’t care about your pregnancy. If given the chance, I would love to care for both you and the baby.”

I shook my head gently, trying to dismiss his offer, feeling a mix of gratitude and confusion. “You don’t have to do that, Mr. Faulkner.”

He regarded me with a small, hopeful smile, his eyes searching mine. “Is there someone else in your life right now?”

Luis’s image flashed through my mind—a fleeting reminder of what was, a ghost of my past. But as the reality of my impending departure loomed like a dark cloud, I found myself shaking my head in response, the words caught in my throat.

A glimmer of hope ignited in Malcolm’s eyes, as if he had just caught a whiff of possibility. “Then I still have a chance.”

“Can I at least learn about the kind of person the child’s father is?” he asked, his tone shifting to one of genuine curiosity.

I lowered my gaze, my thumb tracing the rim of my cup absentmindedly, lost in the tide of memories that crashed over me.

After a moment’s pause, I spoke with a tone that felt almost indifferent, though my heart betrayed me. “When everyone else turned their backs on me, he was the only one who stood firmly by my side, unwavering.”

Memories flooded my mind, vivid and bittersweet, each one a reminder of the unique affection Luis had for me—a love that never needed to be explicitly named.

He never uttered the word “love,” yet his actions spoke volumes. He would confront anyone who dared to hurt me, showering me with extravagant gifts like a moonstone bracelet that sparkled with the light of a thousand stars. He set off fireworks in my honor, and even built the D Hotel, a grand testament to his devotion.

Malcolm listened intently, his demeanor shifting to one of melancholy as he absorbed the depth of my memories. “It seems I arrived too late.”

“But as long as you don’t have a confirmed mate, I won’t give up,” he added, a note of determination in his voice.

A surge of defiance rose within me, and I replied coolly, “Once I leave Nerdvale, none of this will matter. The baby and I will forge a new life, far away from here.”

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