The Messenge (Iva and Nick) novel Chapter 392

The Unyielding Pursuer

The Unyielding Pursuer

The walk back to the abbey felt endless.

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Iva’s feet moved on their own, carrying her through the orchard, past the garden, and toward the familiar stone walls that had once felt like a sanctuary.

Her mind was still reeling from the conversation in the orchard. Rauno’s confession echoed in her ears, his words tangled with the memory of his grief, his rage, and his unexpected declaration.

She didn’t want his attention. She didn’t want his feelings. She didn’t want any of it./

But as she approached the abbey’s entrance, she noticed the smiles.

The nuns who passed her in the corridor looked at her with knowing glances, their lips curving into warm, approving smiles. Sister Agnese actually winked at her as she walked by, her plump face glowing with amusement.

Iva’s cheeks flushed crimson.

She reached the dining hall, where Sister Ophelia was overseeing the evening cleanup. The old nun looked up as Iva entered, her eyes twinkling with a knowing light.

“Ah, there you are,” she said, her voice warm with barely contained amusement. “I take it Rauno finally gathered his courage?”

Iva’s blush deepened, spreading down her neck.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her voice carefully neutral.

Sister Ophelia chuckled, shaking her head.

“Child, I’ve known Rauno for years. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. The way he finds excuses to be near you.” She paused, her expression softening. “He’s a good man, Iva. He’s been through so much, but he has a kind heart. You could do worse.”

Iva’s throat tightened.

“I’m not looking for a relationship,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I have Youssef to think about. I can’t-I can’t just-”

“You can’t stay alone forever,” Sister Ophelia interrupted gently. “And Youssef deserves a father. Someone who will protect him, love him, raise him right.”

Iva’s heart lurched.

She thought about Rauno. About his hatred for creatures like her. About what would happen if he

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ever discovered the truth about Youssef’s heritage.

She couldn’t tell them that.

She couldn’t explain.

“I need to go,” she said abruptly. “I need to check on Youssef.”

She turned and fled before Sister Ophelia could respond.

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Once inside her small room, Iva closed the door and leaned against it, her chest heaving.

Youssef was sleeping peacefully in his crib, his small face serene, his tiny hand curled into a fist. She crossed to him and looked down at his sleeping form, her heart aching with love and fear.

“Your mother is in trouble,” she whispered. “Big trouble.”

She sank onto the edge of her bed, her head in her hands.

How on earth was she supposed to lay low now?

The plan had been simple. Keep her head down. Stay unnoticed. And once the opportunity arose, leave. Disappear into the human world with Youssef and never look back.

But now, Rauno had thrown everything into chaos. The nuns were watching her with hopeful eyes, expecting her to embrace his advances, to accept his courtship, to become part of his world.

A world that would destroy her if it ever learned the truth.

She had been applying for jobs, hoping to find work that would allow her to support herself and Youssef. But nothing had come up. She had no schooling. No real life experience. No genuine identity-just the fake documents Nick had provided for her, the ones she had used to record Youssef’s birth certificate.

She was trapped.

She had not enough money, no resources, no way to escape.

And the hunters were too close for her comfort.

She looked at Youssef, her eyes filling with tears.

“I don’t know what to do,” she whispered. “I don’t know how to protect you.”

Youssef stirred, his tiny hand reaching out in his sleep.

Iva took it, pressing it gently to her cheek.

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“I will find a way,” she promised. “I will find a way to keep us safe. No matter what it takes.”

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The dining hall was quieter than usual that evening. The nuns moved with their customary grace, but their eyes kept drifting toward Iva’s table, where Rauno had taken his place beside her once

again.

Iva’s hands were clasped tightly in her lap, her appetite completely gone. She had rehearsed this conversation a dozen times in her head, but now that the moment had arrived, her courage

wavered.

She had to tell him.

She had to make him understand.

“Rauno,” she began, her voice soft but steady. “I need to talk to you about something.”

He looked up from his meal, his dark eyes warm with anticipation.

“Of course, Iva. What is it?”

Iva took a breath, forcing herself to meet his gaze. >

“I appreciate your attention,” she said carefully. “But I need to be honest with you. At this moment, I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m not ready. My focus is on my son, on building a life for us. I

can’t-I won’t-start something I’m not ready for.”

She expected disappointment. She expected hurt. She expected him to accept her words with a heavy heart and retreat.

What she didn’t expect was the slow smile that spread across his face.

“I see,” he said, his voice thoughtful, almost appreciative. “You’re not a flimsy woman, are you? You

know what you want, and you’re not afraid to say it.”

Iva blinked, confused.

“That’s… that’s what you took from what I said?”

Rauno leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving hers.

“I’ve met a lot of women, Iva. Most of them would have jumped at the chance to be with a man like me, especially the single mothers. A man with resources, with a purpose, with the ability to protect them. But you-” He shook his head, a note of admiration in his voice. “You’re different. You don’t want to be swept off your feet. You want to stand on your own two feet. I respect that.”

Iva opened her mouth to respond, but he continued before she could speak.

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“You still have feelings for your son’s father,” he said, his voice softening with what he clearly believed was understanding. “I get it. And even though he’s not in the picture anymore, those

eelings don’t just disappear.”

Iva’s heart lurched. She wanted to correct him, to tell him that there was no love, no beautiful history, only pain and fear and a past she couldn’t remember. But the words stuck in her throat.

Rauno leaned forward, his eyes intense.

“I’m not going to give up,” he said, his voice low and firm. “I’m going to court you, Iva. Properly. Slowly. I’ll give you time-as much time as you need. But I’m not going to walk away. I see something in you, and I’m not the kind of man who gives up on something he wants.”

Iva stared at him, her mind reeling.

“Rauno, I don’t-”

“You don’t have to say anything right now,” he interrupted gently. “Just… let me show you. Let me prove that I can be the man you need. That I can be good for you and for Youssef.”

He reached across the table and took her hand, his grip warm and firm.

“Take all the time you need,” he said. “I’ll be here. Waiting.”

He released her hand and returned to his meal, leaving Iva speechless, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and frustration.

This was not how it was supposed to go.

She had tried to push him away, and he had only held on tighter.

She had no idea what to do next.

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