Chapter 253

[ 1,041 words ]

Emilia’s POV

Sebastian kept his promise. “Wherever I am, that’s your home.”

He took me away with him, to a house by the sea.

It wasn’t as big or as grand as the pack house, but it had its own charm. Clean lines, floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the water.

Sebastian unlocked the door and nodded toward the leather sofa.

“Rest for a bit,” he said, his voice still rough. “I need to go handle something. I’ll be back soon.”

I nodded and watched his broad shoulders disappear through the door. The second it clicked shut, I pulled out my phone.

I had to do damage control before this became something we couldn’t fix.

Tiffany picked up on the second ring. “Emilia?” Her voice cracked. “Where are you guys?”

“Tiff, I need to talk to your mom. Can you—”

“She locked herself in her bedroom,” Tiffany cut in, sniffling. “She won’t come out. Dad’s been standing outside her door for an hour.”

My chest tightened. “I’ll try her cell.”

“Wait.” Her voice turned urgent. “Are you and Sebastian ever coming back? Because if you’re not, I’m the only sane one left in this house, and honestly, that’s terrifying for everyone.”

“We’ll be back, Tiff. I promise.”

I hung up and dialed Mila’s number right away. It rang so long I thought she wouldn’t answer, but finally her voice came through, hoarse and broken.

“…Hello?”

“Mila, it’s me.” I kept my tone steady, even though my own feelings were all over the place. “Please don’t cry. I’m with Sebastian right now, and I’m going to make sure he forgives you and Titus.”

Silence. Then a sob.

“Emilia, I can’t. I’m so ashamed. You must be as disappointed in me as Sebastian is. I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry—”

“Stop.” I cut her off, firmer than I meant to. “I’m not disappointed in you, Mila. Do I agree with what you did? No. But do I understand why you did it? Yes. You and Titus have treated me like your own daughter from day one. I’m not throwing that away over one mistake.”

“But Sebastian—”

“Sebastian is angry,” I said. “He has every right to be. But anger fades. Give him time to cool down, and he’ll remember you’re his mother. That you love him. That you were trying to protect him, even if you went about it the wrong way.”

Mila’s breath hitched. “How can you be so kind after everything?”

“Because I’m not going anywhere,” I said simply. “And neither is your son. So before he comes home, you need to take care of yourself. I’ll call you every day with an update on how he’s doing. Deal?”

“Deal,” she whispered. “Thank you, Emilia. Truly.”

After I hung up, I walked down to the beach. The wind whipped my hair across my face as I stared out at the water. The waves broke against the rocks in a slow, steady rhythm that settled something in me.

Was I hurt? Of course.

Was I disappointed? Absolutely.

Did some small, petty part of me want to pack a bag and disappear? Maybe for half a second.

But I couldn’t. And not just because I’d promised Sebastian I wouldn’t leave him the way Abigail had. I couldn’t leave because I didn’t want to. I loved him. Stubborn, broken, infuriating man that he was. And love wasn’t something you walked away from the moment things got hard.

Besides, I wasn’t Abigail. I didn’t run when life got messy. I stayed. I fought. I held on until my hands ached and my chest hurt, because that’s what you did when you loved someone.

If I left now, it would break him. And I refused to be the one who broke Sebastian Simons.

“You’re stronger than you think,” Eve murmured, warm and steady.

“I have to be,” I said silently.

I don’t know how long I stood there, letting the salt air sting my face and the sound of the ocean drown out my thoughts. But eventually I felt a coat settle over my shoulders and a familiar presence at my back.

“You’re back,” I said, turning to look at him.

He looked worn out. Jaw tight, eyes shadowed. But there was something softer in his face now, and it tugged at me in a different way.

“Yeah.” He took my hand. “I brought food. Let’s go inside.”

The dining table was covered in takeout containers, all my favorite dishes. Curry rice, grilled salmon, roasted vegetables, even that strange dessert I’d mentioned liking once in passing.

I raised an eyebrow. “Did you buy out the whole restaurant?”

“Just the good stuff.” He handed me a container and a spoon. “Eat.”

I took a bite and let the warmth of the curry settle in my stomach. It was good. Really good. But Sebastian wasn’t eating.

“Aren’t you hungry?” I asked.

“I already ate.”

Liar.

“You know,” I said casually, “next time you don’t have to buy food. I can cook.”

He looked at me. “I didn’t bring you out here to be my little kitchen maid.”

“Relax. You couldn’t afford my rates anyway,” I said, popping another bite in my mouth.

A faint smile tugged at his lips, the first real one I’d seen all night. “Noted.”

We ate in silence after that.

When I finished, I stood and started gathering the empty containers. But before I could step away, Sebastian caught my wrist.

“Emilia, I’m sor—”

“Don’t.”

His eyes widened. “Why?”

I turned to face him fully, meeting his gaze head-on. “Because my love for you is real, Sebastian. We both know how we feel about each other. So you don’t need to apologize for something that wasn’t your fault.”

For a moment he just stared at me, like he couldn’t quite believe what I’d said. Then he pulled me into his arms and buried his face in my hair.

“You must’ve been scared,” he murmured.

“A little,” I admitted. “But I’m still here.”

“Thank you,” he whispered. “For staying.”

I wrapped my arms around him and held on just as tightly. “Thank you for not leaving me behind.”

Two hurting people, holding on to each other, while outside the waves kept breaking against the rocks.

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