Chapter 37
I pulled my hand away sharply and turned my back on her.
Her voice rose to a frantic pitch behind me, cutting through the café. “You believe you’ve triumphed? Alexander will never release you! You’ll never know peace again!”
The glass door swung shut, silencing her completely.
The sun outside was blinding. I shielded my eyes and checked my phone. A text from Sebastian glowed on the screen. [Finished? I’m at the corner bookstore.]
I glanced back at the café one final time.
Through the window, Victoria remained on her knees, her body trembling uncontrollably. I couldn't discern if her tears were genuine or just another performance.
That part of my life was finally closed.
The day our divorce was finalized, Sebastian brought me to the ocean.
Soft waves rolled onto the shore before retreating, leaving the sand dark and wet.
Sebastian stood where the water met the land, his sleeves pushed up, sifting through the sand with his fingers.
Oliver crouched nearby, head cocked, his tail sweeping arcs in the damp grains.
“Isabella!” Sebastian stood suddenly and beckoned. “Look what I discovered!”
I walked toward him barefoot, the cool water swirling around my ankles.
He uncurled his fingers. A smooth, blue-grey stone lay in his palm, polished to a shine by the sea.
“It reminds me of the ones we collected by the creek as children,” he said, smiling. The setting sun glittered in his eyes.
I took the stone. My fingers grazed the rough skin of his hand.
When we were eight, Sebastian took me to the creek after a heavy rain. He insisted on finding the most beautiful stones. He claimed they were treasures to be kept forever.
We returned home caked in mud, looking like drowned rats, and were scolded for hours.
“You told me they were dragon eggs,” I chuckled. “You said they would hatch and guard me.”
Sebastian rubbed his neck, his ears flushing pink. “I only wanted an excuse to shield you always.”
Oliver leaped at me suddenly, covering my dress with sandy paw prints.
Sebastian bent to brush them off, but the mischievous cat bumped him, sending him tumbling into the shallow water.
We both laughed until our sides ached at the absurd sight.
As the water crept higher, he took my hand and guided me back to dry sand.
He produced a small metal box from his jacket pocket and set it on the ground. The rusted lid still bore a faded cartoon decal. “Recall this?” He pried it open gently. Inside lay yellowed glass marbles, a crumpled candy wrapper, and a short pencil.
I picked up the wrapper, astonished. “This is from the orange candies we had in grade school!”
“You always shared yours with me,” His fingers traced the pencil, where the name “Isabella” was carved in clumsy letters. “That was the first time you showed me how to write your name.”
“Sebastian.” I cradled the marble. “Why do you…”
Why do you cherish me so?
“Because from the moment I saw you at six years old, I knew. I wanted to shield this girl.”
His voice was gentler than the ocean breeze.
“I adore you, Isabella.”
Oliver had scampered away, chasing seaweed left by the tide.
Sebastian drew a deep breath and sank to one knee in the soft sand. It wasn’t a proposal; he simply lowered himself to look directly into my eyes.
“I understand you doubt forever. I know you resist chains.”
“So I vow not forever. Only now. I wish to declare to the world that I am Isabella Lancaster’s boyfriend.”
The sea wind grew quiet. All I heard was the wild drumming of my own heart.