chapter 174
Elena's POV:
I glanced up at him, then back at Victoria, torn between obeying and continuing this unexpectedly meaningful conversation.
The warmth in Victoria's eyes told me she understood my hesitation.
"Go on, dear," she said softly, patting my hand. "We've had quite enough excitement for one night. Your husband is right—you need your rest."
I rose slowly, feeling the familiar ache in my lower back from sitting too long.
As I reached the stairs, Sebastian descended to meet me halfway, his hand finding the small of my back with practiced ease. The possessive gesture should have irritated me, but tonight I found it oddly comforting.
"Goodnight, Victoria," I called over my shoulder.
"Goodnight, both of you." Her voice carried a note of genuine affection that made my chest tighten.
Back in our bedroom, I sank onto the edge of the bed while Sebastian closed the door behind us.
The way he moved—too casual, too quiet—made me wonder. Had he been listening? He'd appeared at the top of the stairs at just the right moment, as if he'd been waiting nearby.
He helped me with my slippers, then moved to his side of the bed, all without meeting my eyes directly. That confirmed it—he'd definitely heard something.
As he pulled me against him under the covers, I couldn't help myself. "How much did you hear?"
His fingers found their way into my hair, twirling a strand around his finger. "Enough."
"Sebastian—"
"She said she'd be there to catch you." His voice was deceptively calm, but I could feel the tension in his body. "If things with us ever..." He let the sentence hang, fingers still playing with my hair. "I won't give them that chance."
Despite everything, I found myself smiling in the darkness. "Then you'd better not bully me."
"When have I ever bullied you?" The indignation in his voice was so perfectly theatrical that I had to stifle a laugh.
"Oh, let me count the ways—" I began, but he silenced me by pulling me closer, burying his face in my neck.
"Those don't count as bullying," he mumbled against my skin. "That's called loving you."
"Is that what you call it?" I teased, but my heart had already softened.
We lay there, our playful banter fading into comfortable silence. His hand found its familiar place over my belly, and I covered it with my own. Within minutes, his breathing deepened and evened out.
I stayed awake a bit longer, thinking about Victoria's words, about Sebastian's response, about this strange, twisted, perfect life we'd built together. Then sleep claimed me too, and for once, I dreamed of nothing at all.
---
The next morning came too quickly.
I stood at the entrance of Blackwood Manor, wrapped in one of Sebastian's cashmere coats against the early morning chill. Victoria and Theodore were already in the car, their luggage loaded.
"I wanted to come to the airport," I said wistfully, fighting the urge to pout like a child.
"Absolutely not," Sebastian cut in before Victoria could respond, his tone leaving no room for argument. "The airport is too crowded, too many germs, too much walking. You're staying here."
Victoria smiled knowingly at his protective stance. "He's right, dear. In your condition, it's better to say goodbye here where you're comfortable."
I blinked back tears, hormones making everything feel more intense. "I understand. We'll see each other again soon, right?"
Victoria nodded firmly, her eyes bright with unshed tears of her own. "Of course we will. I'm not missing the arrival of this little one." She gestured toward my belly with a warm smile. "I have so many plans—first shoes from Paris, toys from FAO Schwarz..."
"You'll spoil them rotten," I laughed, my hand instinctively moving to caress my bump.
"That's what great-aunts are for," she declared with mock seriousness.
Theodore leaned over from the passenger seat, his weathered hand reaching out to grasp mine. "Take care of yourself and that little one, my dear."
"I will," I promised, squeezing his hand.
Sebastian stood beside me, one arm around my waist, steady and solid. "Marcus will send regular updates," he assured them. "And the moment Elena goes into labor, you'll be the first to know."
As their car pulled away, I waved until it disappeared around the bend, my hand still resting protectively over my belly. The baby chose that moment to kick, as if saying goodbye too.
---
Two hours later, I was curled up in the study with a pregnancy book when I heard Sebastian's car in the driveway.
Through the window, I watched him exit the vehicle, his movements oddly mechanical, lacking his usual decisive grace.
When he entered the study, he didn't greet me as usual. Instead, he moved to stand behind my chair, his hand finding my shoulder.
"Sebastian?" I turned to face him, noting the distant look in his eyes. "Is everything alright?"
"Fine," he said automatically, but his gaze kept dropping to my belly.
I moved to return the book to its shelf. He followed. I walked to the window to adjust the curtains. He was right behind me. When I headed to the kitchen for a snack, his footsteps echoed mine.
"Okay, that's enough." I stopped abruptly in the hallway, causing him to nearly bump into me. "What's going on? Did something happen at the airport? Are Victoria and Theodore alright?"
"They're fine. They boarded safely," he replied quietly.
Then he was silent for a long moment, his jaw working. Finally, he spoke, his voice carefully controlled. "But at the terminal... there was a pregnant woman. Something went wrong. She just... collapsed. There was... a lot of blood. They rushed her away on a stretcher."
My heart softened at the vulnerability he was trying so hard to hide. "Oh, Sebastian."
"The stretcher was soaked through," he continued, as if he couldn't stop the words now that they'd started. "She was about as far along as you. Her husband was screaming."
I reached up to touch his face, feeling the tension in his jaw. "That must have been terrible to witness."
"I keep seeing it," he admitted. "Every time I look at you, I see her face. The blood. The panic."
"Come here." I guided him to the sofa, sitting down and pulling him beside me. "These things happen, but they're rare. Complications exist, yes, but the vast majority of pregnancies and deliveries go perfectly fine."
"Nothing is going to happen to me," I said firmly, cupping his face in my hands. "I have the best doctors, the best care. I'm healthy, the baby's healthy—"
He took a shuddering breath, then another. "When is your due date exactly?"