chapter 124
Elena's POV:
The morning light filtered through the tall windows of my studio at Blackwood Manor, casting long shadows across the design sketches scattered on my worktable.
I'd been working on Sebastian's ring design for the past hour, trying to lose myself in the intricate details of platinum and onyx.
The silver crucifix on my neck caught the light as I moved, a constant reminder of his presence even in his absence.
My phone vibrated against the wooden surface, and I saw Father's name on the screen.
"Elena?" His voice came through, exhausted beyond measure, carrying a weight that made my hand tighten around the phone.
"Dad, what's wrong?" I asked, already half-standing from my chair.
"I'm fine, sweetheart. It's not about me." He paused, and I could hear him drawing a shaky breath. "It's Rebecca. She's... she's not doing well. The doctors say her condition has deteriorated rapidly."
I slowly sank back into my seat, relief washing over me that nothing had happened to him. "How bad is it?"
"The doctors say her kidneys are failing almost completely now. Dialysis can't sustain her much longer." He paused, and I could hear him drawing a shaky breath. "We need to find a kidney donor soon, or..." The sentence hung unfinished between us, heavy with implications neither of us wanted to voice.
"Have you checked with the Sterling relatives?" I asked, though the very mention of that family name left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Rebecca Sterling had made my childhood a particular kind of hell, yet hearing about her suffering stirred complicated emotions I couldn't quite untangle.
"They're already circling like vultures," Father said with uncharacteristic bitterness. "Some of them have started making moves on the company assets. Rebecca, despite everything, had the presence of mind to transfer some shares to me from her hospital bed. She wants me to manage them, to keep the family business from being completely carved up."
I pressed my free hand against my rounded belly, feeling my baby shift restlessly as if sensing my tension. "And what are you planning to do with those shares?"
"I thought... perhaps they should go to you. As compensation for everything you endured in that house." His voice carried both hope and uncertainty, as if he were offering me justice served cold and wasn't sure I'd want to taste it.
"No," I said firmly, surprising myself with the immediate certainty of my response. "That's the Sterling family's company. It was never mine, and I don't want anything that was built on their cruelty. Keep it if you must, but don't put that burden on me."
There was a long silence before he spoke again. "Well, I know."
After we said our goodbyes, I sat staring at my phone screen, my mind churning with memories I'd rather forget.
The sound of footsteps in the hallway pulled me from my reverie, and Lady Margaret appeared in the doorway, her keen eyes immediately noting my distressed state
"What's troubling you, dear?" she asked, moving into the room with grace.
I shook my head, trying to compose myself. "It's nothing specific. I'm just... feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything that's happened lately. So many changes, so much upheaval."
My hand unconsciously moved to my belly.
Margaret's expression softened with understanding. "Oh, my dear, that's perfectly normal during pregnancy. Your emotions are heightened, and with everything you've been through recently..."
She moved closer, her presence warm and reassuring. "If there's anything you can't quite sort through on your own, please talk to me. I've lived a few more years than you, seen a bit more of life. Sometimes that perspective helps."
I nodded, touched by her genuine concern, and found myself moving into her embrace.
She smelled of lavender and expensive perfume, solid and comforting in a way I'd never experienced with Rebecca. "Thank you," I whispered against her shoulder, feeling some of the tension ease from my body.
---
By the time ten o'clock rolled around, I was in my room, freshly showered and wearing a silk nightgown that did little to hide my pregnancy curves.
My hair was still damp, curling slightly at the ends, when his video call came through right on schedule. This had become our routine.
I accepted the call immediately, and his face filled the screen, those grey-blue eyes intense even through the digital medium.
"Missing me terribly?" His deep voice carried that familiar teasing note, though I could hear the genuine longing beneath it.
"Maybe a little," I admitted with a smile, adjusting the phone so he could see me better. "You look tired. Have you been resting at all?"
"How can I rest when my wife is so far away?" He shifted against his pillows, and his gaze suddenly sharpened, focusing on something behind me. "Is that my shirt on your nightstand?"
I glanced back at the white dress shirt folded neatly beside my bed—the one he'd left during his last visit to the Manor. "You left it here," I said, attempting nonchalance.
"And you've been keeping it right beside your bed." His voice dropped to that dangerous, intimate register that always made my pulse quicken. "Tell me, Elena, do you hold it at night? Holding it at night when you can't hold me?"
"Sebastian!" I protested, heat flooding my cheeks.
"What else do you do with it?" he continued, his tone growing more provocative. "Do you wear it to bed? Let it slide against your skin while you think of—"
"I'm hanging up!" I announced, thoroughly flustered and reaching for the end button.
"Don't you dare," he said quickly, then added, "And Elena? Whatever you're thinking about doing with that shirt... wait for me. I'll be well enough soon to give you the real thing."
The implications in his tone sent heat spiraling through me, and I jabbed the end call button with more force than necessary.
But even as the screen went dark, I could imagine him there, smiling that satisfied smile, knowing he'd successfully flustered me from miles away.
I pressed my face into my hands, trying to calm my racing heart.