SEBASTIAN’S POV
The drive home felt like an eternity, even though I’d sped through the streets with little regard for the time or traffic.
My thoughts were only of Sasha-of the way she’d looked this morning, distant and unsure, and how badly I wanted to fix whatever was causing that crack in our foundation.
I had left work early, Roland stepping in to manage the loose ends. I couldn’t stay away anymore. She needed me, and, selfishly, I needed her more.
The moment I pulled into the driveway, I shut the car off and headed inside without delay.
As soon as I stepped through the door, I caught sight of her standing in the living room, her arms crossed over her chest, her gaze falling on me in surprise. I didn’t wait. I closed the space between us in a few long strides, pulling her into my arms.
She melted into me, her hands slipping around my waist as I held her tight, the scent of her soft perfume calming the storm inside me.
“Sebastian, you’re home early,” she murmured, her voice filled with curiosity and a hint of relief. She pulled back slightly to look up at me.
“Is everything alright? Did something happen?”
I shook my head and smiled at her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Nothing’s wrong,” I assured her.
“Roland’s got everything under control at work. I wanted to be here with you, Sasha. That’s all.”
She studied my face for a moment, her brow furrowed. “You left work for me?”
“I’d leave the world for you,” I said quietly, meaning every word.
Her lips parted slightly, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she rested her head against my chest, and I pressed a kiss to her hair.
We stood like that for a moment, just the two of us, until I felt her hands tighten around me. “I was worried,” she admitted.
“You’ve been working so much, Sebastian. I didn’t want to say anything, but I felt like…like maybe you were pushing yourself too hard.”
I pulled back enough to meet her eyes, holding her face in my hands. “You’re the only reason I work as hard as I do, Sasha. But nothing is more important than you. Do you hear me? Nothing.”
Her lips trembled, and I kissed her forehead before pulling her back into my arms. “Besides,” I added, trying to lighten the mood, “I have some good news.”
She tilted her head back to look at me, her expression hopeful. “What is it?”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Your father managed to move his finger earlier today. I got the call while I was still at the office.”
Her eyes widened, and she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “He did? Are you serious?”
“I wouldn’t joke about that,” I said, watching as relief and joy washed over her face.
Tears brimmed in her eyes, and she let out a shaky laugh, burying her face in my chest again.
“Oh, Sebastian,” she whispered. “That’s the best news I’ve heard in so long. I was starting to lose hope.”
“Don’t,” I said firmly. “He’s going to wake up, Sasha. I know it. And when he does, everything will fall into place.”
She nodded against me, her tears soaking into my shirt, but I didn’t care. Holding her like this, seeing the hope return to her eyes-it was worth everything.
After a moment, she pulled back again, wiping her cheeks. “Thank you for telling me. You always know how to lift me up when I need it most.”
“I’ll always be here to lift you up,” I promised. “And speaking of your father…” I hesitated, wondering how to phrase what had been on my mind for the past few days.
I’d been waiting for the right moment to bring it up, and now seemed like the perfect time.
She looked at me curiously, her brows knitting together. “What is it?”
I took a deep breath, my hands still resting on her shoulders. “I was thinking…maybe it would be better if we moved your father into the house so he could receive his treatment here.”
“That way, you could be closer to him, and it might help his recovery to be surrounded by family. What do you think?”
Her eyes widened, and she stared at me, her lips parting as if to speak, but no words came out at first. Finally, she managed to say, “You…you’d do that? For him?”
“Of course,” I said without hesitation.
“He’s your father, Sasha. And I know how much you love him. If bringing him here makes things easier for you and gives him a better chance at recovery, then I’m all for it.”
She was silent for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, to my surprise, she threw her arms around my neck, holding me tighter than she ever had before.
“You’re incredible,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Don’t say that,” I said, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes.
“You deserve everything, Sasha. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you if I have to.”
Her tears started again, but this time they were tears of joy. She kissed me, soft and lingering, and I poured everything I had into that kiss, letting her feel how much I loved her.
When we finally pulled apart, she rested her forehead against mine, a small smile playing on her lips.
“I’ll think about it,” she said softly. “Moving him here, I mean. I just…I want to make sure it’s the right decision for him.”
“Take all the time you need,” I told her. “No pressure. I just want what’s best for you and for him.”
She nodded, her fingers playing with the collar of my shirt. “Thank you, Sebastian. For everything.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” I said, brushing my thumb over her cheek.
“You’re my everything, Sasha. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you happy.”
For the first time in what felt like weeks, I saw a genuine smile on her face, and it was like the sun breaking through the clouds.
Whatever weight she’d been carrying seemed to lift, if only a little, and I vowed to keep doing everything in my power to keep that smile on her face.
—
By the end of the evening, as we sat together on the couch, her head resting on my shoulder, I couldn’t help but feel hopeful.
Things were finally starting to turn around. Sasha was smiling again, her father was showing signs of recovery, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like we were on the right path.
And I would do whatever it took to make sure we stayed there.