Laying the Foundations

The decision had been made, but now came the real challenge—figuring out where to begin.

Ethan was already deep into planning by the following morning. He had taken over the small desk in the corner of their bedroom, stacks of papers and ledgers spread out before him. His brows were furrowed in deep concentration, his fingers tracing over numbers and maps.

Lila watched from the bed, Lyra nestled against her chest as she nursed.

She had always known Ethan was a man who thrived on control, on strategy. But this? This was a new side of him. He wasn’t just planning—he was creating.

“Have you been up all night?” she asked, her voice still thick with sleep.

Ethan glanced up, a sheepish smirk tugging at his lips. “Not all night.”

Lila gave him a pointed look. “Ethan.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Fine. Most of it.”

Lila chuckled. “You really don’t do things halfway, do you?”

Ethan smirked. “Not when it comes to our future.”

Lila exhaled, shifting slightly so Lyra could settle more comfortably against her. “So, what’s the plan?”

Ethan leaned back, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. “I’ve been looking at properties. There’s a stretch of land not far from here—about an hour’s ride. It’s untouched, fertile. It could be perfect.”

Lila raised an eyebrow. “Perfect for what?”

Ethan hesitated, then reached for one of the maps. He crossed the room, sitting beside her, unfolding the parchment in front of them.

“This land has potential,” he explained, pointing to a marked area. “We could grow something here—maybe a vineyard, maybe orchards. Something sustainable, something we can build over time.”

Lila studied the map, trying to imagine it. A vineyard. Land of their own.

It was a far cry from where she had started—from scrubbing floors at the Grantham estate to building a future where she and Ethan were in control.

It was daunting.

But it was also exciting.

Lila met Ethan’s gaze. “And you’re sure about this?”

Ethan nodded. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

Lila smiled, reaching out to trace a finger along the edge of the map. “Then let’s do it.”

Ethan’s expression softened, his hand covering hers. “You really mean that?”

Lila smirked. “I wouldn’t have said it otherwise.”

Ethan chuckled. “Fair point.”

He leaned in, pressing a lingering kiss to her lips. “We’re going to build something incredible, Lila.”

She smiled against his mouth. “I know we will.”

By midday, Ethan had sent word to a land surveyor, arranging a visit to the property in the coming days.

Lila spent most of the morning tending to Lyra, while Ethan discussed logistics with William, who had come by to offer his expertise—not that he had much experience in agriculture, but he had connections that could help.

“You’re really diving into this headfirst, aren’t you?” William mused, sipping a cup of tea as he leaned against the kitchen counter.

Ethan smirked. “You expected anything less?”

William chuckled. “Not at all. But I have to say, I didn’t picture you as a landowner.”

Ethan shrugged. “Neither did I. But things change.”

William’s gaze flickered to Lila, who was rocking Lyra by the fire. “That they do.”

Ethan followed his gaze, a small smile tugging at his lips. “This isn’t just about me. It’s about them.”

William hummed. “And your family? They’re really just going to let you walk away?”

Ethan’s expression darkened slightly. “They don’t have a choice.”

William arched a brow. “You sound confident.”

Ethan’s jaw tightened. “Because I have to be.”

William studied him for a moment before nodding. “Fair enough.”

Ethan exhaled, glancing at the paperwork spread across the table. “I need to make sure this works. Not just for us, but for the future we’re building.”

William smirked. “You’ve got that look in your eye.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow. “What look?”

“The ‘I’ll burn the world down if it gets in my way’ look.”

Ethan chuckled. “You’re not wrong.”

William clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Then I suppose I should stick around. Someone has to make sure you don’t get yourself killed in the process.”

Ethan smirked. “I’d like to see them try.”

That evening, after William had left and Lyra had been put down for the night, Lila and Ethan sat together on the porch, watching the last light of the day fade into twilight.

Ethan held her hand, his thumb tracing idle patterns over her skin.

“You’re really committed to this,” Lila murmured.

Ethan nodded. “I am.”

Lila exhaled. “It’s a lot.”

Ethan turned to her. “Does it scare you?”

Lila considered the question carefully. “No,” she said finally. “Not if we do it together.”

Ethan smiled, bringing her hand to his lips. “We will.”

Lila leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. “Do you think it’ll be easy?”

Ethan chuckled. “Nothing worth having is ever easy.”

Lila smirked. “That sounds like something Margaret would say.”

Ethan groaned. “Don’t compare me to Margaret.”

Lila laughed, the sound light and full of warmth.

They sat there in silence for a long moment, the cool evening air wrapping around them.

Then, quietly, Lila said, “I think Lyra is going to love it.”

Ethan tilted his head. “The land?”

Lila nodded. “I can already picture her running through the fields, playing in the sun.”

Ethan exhaled, his voice soft. “Yeah. Me too.”

Lila closed her eyes, letting the image settle in her mind.

Their daughter, free, happy, growing up in a world they had chosen for her.

It was more than she had ever dreamed of.

And with Ethan by her side, she knew—

They would make it a reality.

Together.