SASHA’S POV
I sat on the edge of the couch, my fingers loosely gripping the rim of my mug, though the tea inside had long gone cold.
Across from me, Sebastian leaned back in his chair, his expression calm yet probing, the way it always was when he was about to say something I wouldn’t like.
“I’ve been thinking,” he began, his voice steady but low. “About your father. Maybe he’d be safer here with us.”
I blinked, unsure if I’d heard him right. “Here? You mean… at the house?”
Sebastian nodded, folding his hands together on his lap. “Yes. The hospital isn’t as secure as you think.”
“If someone is targeting you, they could easily use him to get to you. Having him here would allow me to ensure his safety personally.”
I stared at him, my mind racing. It wasn’t the suggestion itself that stunned me – Sebastian had always been the type to take control and plan for every possibility.
But the thought of my father waking up in a strange house, surrounded by armed bodyguards… how would he react to that? Would he even understand why?
“Sebastian,” I said slowly, placing the mug down on the coffee table, “he’s already in a safe environment. The hospital has security.”
“Not the kind of security I can offer.” His tone hardened just slightly, his blue-grey eyes locking onto mine. “I’m not taking any risks with your safety, or his. This is the best option.”
I shook my head, trying to keep my voice calm. “You think he’d be safer here, with strangers stationed at every door holding guns?”
“He’d wake up and panic. And what would I even say to him? ‘Welcome back from your coma, Dad, by the way, you’re in my husband’s fortress now because people are threatening me?'”
Sebastian didn’t smile, though I caught the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth. “I understand it would be… unconventional. But you’re missing the point. His safety comes first, Sasha.”
“And he’s safe where he is,” I insisted, trying not to raise my voice. “I don’t want him waking up in a place that feels like a war zone. He needs to heal, not feel like he’s in the middle of a crime drama.”
Sebastian leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “I don’t want to argue about this. If you think he’s better off staying at the hospital, I won’t force the issue.”
I studied him, surprised by his sudden willingness to back down. “Just like that?”
He nodded, though his expression didn’t soften. “I said what I needed to say. You’ve made your decision. I’ll respect it.”
For a moment, silence hung between us. It felt strange-too easy, almost. But I knew Sebastian well enough to tell when he meant something, and right now, he seemed sincere.
“Thank you,” I said quietly, though my voice still carried an edge of wariness.
He gave a curt nod before leaning back in his chair again. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”
I straightened, my chest tightening slightly. “What is it?”
Sebastian’s eyes met mine, his gaze sharp and unyielding. “Earlier today, I caught the person behind those messages you’ve been receiving.”
My heart stopped for a beat. “What? You… you know who it is?”
“Yes,” he said simply, his tone unreadable.
I leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table for balance. “Who was it? Why were they doing this? Are they… are they in custody?”
Sebastian’s jaw tightened, a flicker of something dark passing through his eyes. “Let’s just say they won’t be bothering you anymore.”
My breath hitched. “Sebastian. What does that mean?”
“It means the threat has been dealt with.”
I shook my head, frustration bubbling up inside me. “That’s not an answer. Who was it? Why were they targeting me?”
He hesitated, his gaze dropping for the briefest moment before locking onto mine again. “It doesn’t matter who they were. What matters is that they can’t hurt you anymore.”
“Of course it matters,” I shot back, standing up and crossing my arms over my chest. “I have a right to know who’s been tormenting me for weeks. Don’t you think I deserve that?”
Sebastian sighed, his shoulders tensing. “You deserve peace of mind, Sasha. Knowing their name, their motives-it won’t change anything. It’s over.”
I stared at him, disbelief coursing through me. “You’re asking me to just… let it go? To move on without knowing why someone was trying to ruin our lives?”
“Yes,” he said firmly.
I opened my mouth to argue, but something in his expression stopped me. There was a weight behind his words, a finality that made it clear he wasn’t going to budge.
Whatever he’d done, whoever he’d dealt with, it was over. And he wasn’t going to let me drag it back into the light.
For a long moment, neither of us spoke. The silence between us was thick, heavy with unspoken truths and lingering doubts.
Finally, I exhaled, my shoulders slumping. “I don’t like this,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I know,” he said softly, standing and closing the distance between us. “But you don’t have to carry this anymore. I’ll handle it.”
I wanted to argue, to demand answers, but the look in his eyes stopped me. There was a kind of quiet resolve there, a determination that left no room for negotiation.
So instead, I nodded, though it felt like a hollow gesture. “Okay,” I said, even though it wasn’t.
Sebastian reached out, his hand brushing against my cheek. “You’re safe now, Sasha. That’s all that matters.”
I swallowed hard, leaning into his touch despite the lingering unease in my chest. For now, I’d let it go. But deep down, I knew the questions would haunt me until I found the answers myself.