Chapter 11

Early in the morning, the street-spraying truck drove past the apartment building with a familiar tune playing-"Almost Lover" Elaria had always liked that song. A faint bit of morning light filtered into the bedroom, the curtains swayed gently. Sebastian was already gone. He hadn't forced her into anything last night, just woke up repeatedly and kissed her over and over again... It was like he'd been holding back for too long. In those half-awake kisses, she vaguely heard him whisper, "Elaria, let's start over." "Start over..." Those two words held so much weight to her. But the pain they'd been through still haunted her. That night at Eclat Haven, the storm in his eyes also shook her. She was scared-scared that it would all end up being just another dream. For three or four days after, Sebastian kept showing up. Nothing dramatic-he'd come by late at night, eat a bowl of noodles with her, hold her to sleep without crossing the line, and leave before she woke up. It felt like how it used to be back when everything was still fresh. Then one day, he just stopped coming. He didn't call. She didn't call either. She was neck-deep in plans to open her own studio-starting small, with a gallery, and maybe eventually branching into art auctions. She did talk to Mrs. Harmon about her ideas. The woman praised her, "Mrs. Richards, you're really capable." Elaria didn't bring up anything about her and Sebastian. Things were still in limbo between them-not something to go announcing to the world. Days slipped by, one after another. Before she knew it, fall had hit hard. The leaves had turned yellow and brittle. That day, she got a call from one of the caretakers. The woman sounded hurried, "Your grandma had a fall-nothing too serious, but she's at Heartwell Medical Center. You should come quickly." Elaria was in the middle of discussing a storefront space, but the second she got the call, she rushed to the hospital. Nothing mattered more to her than her grandma. She could still remember-years ago, in the dead of winter, she was just a five-year-old waif trembling on the street, so thin she was all bones. Her grandma had picked her up, brought her home, warmed her up by wrapping her in blankets, and slowly nursed her back with food. They only had each other back then. Her grandma had suffered through so much just to raise her. Once she got married and had the means, Elaria bought her a big house and hired two people to look after her. Half an hour later, Elaria arrived at the hospital, heart pounding. Luckily, it was just a sprain. She finally let out a quiet breath. Crouching beside the bed, she gently brushed her fingers through her grandma's silver hair and said softly, "Alright, I'll go get the admission papers sorted." Maggie, standing nearby, chimed in with a smile, "Miss Grace really is impressive! This room's the best one in the entire hospital. Even the director stepped in when he saw her." Her grandma's eyes crinkled with joy. "Our Elaria's always been the most capable." Elaria patted her hair again and headed out. The VIP ward area had a bit of traditional charm-two aged villas with a garden in between, maple leaves flaming red in the crisp fall air. She slowed down to take in the scene- And froze. At the other end of the corridor- Sebastian was holding Bianca, with Clarence and his wife trailing behind them. The four walked out in a line. Bianca leaned gently against Sebastian like she was made of glass, and her husband-her Sebastian-looked at her with that soft, tender expression. Elaria stood there, numb, staring at the man who just a few nights ago held her close and said he wanted a fresh start. Now he was out in public with another woman in his arms, acting like gossip didn't even exist. She couldn't help thinking: how deep must the love be to turn a blind eye to rumors like that? Elaria really didn't want to stick around. She turned to leave, but right then, a soft, sugary voice called from behind, "Mrs. Richards." She turned and looked at the lovely little duo. Bianca clung to Sebastian, deliberately sounding innocent. "Mrs. Richards, there's nothing between me and Sebastian. I wasn't feeling well, that's why he was carrying me." Before Elaria could say a word, Mrs. Thompson chimed in with a polite yet totally distant tone, "You must be Sebastian's wife? Bianca and Sebastian grew up together, they've always looked out for each other. I'm sure you don't mind, do you?" Elaria glanced at Sebastian. He still hadn't let go of the girl in his arms. He just frowned slightly. She wasn't in the mood for any love triangle nonsense. Honestly, she just found the Thompsons annoying. She gave a cold chuckle. "Mrs. Thompson, your daughter sneaking around with Sebastian is her own business. But dragging it into public? That's just trying to be disgusting on purpose. Whether I mind doesn't matter-what matters is whether your daughter is fine being with a used man like Sebastian." Mrs. Thompson flushed with anger and snapped, "Figures. Orphans are always so poorly brought up." "Aunt Thompson!" Sebastian cut in, his voice low but firm. Even at his age, there was a kind of pressure in his tone that instantly made Mrs. Thompson shrink back. He finally set down Bianca and tried to reach for Elaria's wrist. "Let me explain later." She brushed him off without hesitation. Her voice carried a mocking edge. "What's left to explain, Sebastian? Let's stop pretending. There's really nothing worth talking about between us anymore." Clarence tried to smooth things over. "I think this could all be a misunderstanding-" "Is that so?" Elaria turned to him. "Then can you promise your daughter won't ever talk to Sebastian again?" Clarence hesitated. And here came Mrs. Thompson again, sharp and nasty: "Miss Grace, the unloved one is the real home-wrecker!" Clarence quickly scolded her, but Elaria didn't bother arguing anymore. She looked at Sebastian and said flatly, "Think it over. Sign the papers soon so your sweetheart can finally get her title." Then she turned and left, not a single ounce of hesitation in her step. Life's fragile like that-she'd wasted enough time already. Behind her, Sebastian stood still among the red maples, quietly watching her walk away. His expression dark and unreadable. ***** Evening arrived. Up on the hospital rooftop, the sky was burning with golden clouds, warm and wild in the wind. Elaria leaned against the railing, taking in the whole Caelmoor skyline, her mind drifting to what lay ahead. She was lost in thought when steady footsteps echoed behind her. She turned-and there stood Liam. He came up beside her, matching her stance as he gripped the rusted railing. After a pause, he turned slightly to look at her profile. "Because of Sebastian?" She didn't say anything. Liam didn't seem to mind. He looked back out at the sunset, voice calm. "Back then, it made sense that you liked him. Out of all of us, Sebastian really stood out. Even when he was young, he knew exactly what he wanted. I used to think I was ruthless, but he... he beats me by miles." "He's just as cruel to himself as he is to everyone else." Liam stopped talking and turned his head, just watching her silently. The sun cast a glow on her face, and the tip of her nose was a little red-it looked like she'd been crying. He swallowed hard.