chapter 146
Elena's POV:
I hesitated, then decided against lying. My silence was answer enough.
"I see," she said quietly, setting down her teacup with deliberate care.
I fidgeted with my teacup, suddenly finding the floral pattern fascinating. "I'm sorry, I—"
"Elena," Rose interrupted gently, a small smile playing at her lips. " I don't keep Lily from seeing Nicholas. She adores him, and I... I would never use her as a weapon. If she wants to go to his birthday party, we'll go."
Relief washed through me so suddenly. "Oh, thank goodness. I was worried you'd think I was being manipulative or—"
"You were being a friend," Rose said simply. "To both of us, I suspect."
"Then come for her," I suggested. "Just come as my friend, let Lily have fun, and if it gets too uncomfortable, you can leave whenever you want. I'll even have Marcus on standby to drive you home."
Rose studied me for a long moment, and I could see the war playing out behind her eyes.
"I'll let Lily decide," she said finally, and there was something both protective and resigned in her voice.
I couldn't force her to make a decision she wasn't ready for. "Take your time to think about it," I said gently. "There's no pressure."
But watching her, seeing how every thought seemed to circle back to her daughter, I couldn't help but ask, "Rose, don't you have things you want for yourself? Dreams of your own?"
She turned to gaze out the window, and for a moment, I saw a flash of the woman she might have been before life had carved away pieces of her.
"I used to dream of opening my own hospital," she said quietly. "A place where people who couldn't afford proper care could come. Where no one would be turned away."
Her voice grew softer, almost wistful. "But then Lily came along, and she became everything. My whole world."
She looked back at me, and there was a fierce protectiveness in her eyes that I was beginning to recognize—I felt it myself now, for the baby growing inside me.
"I'm terrified that if I chase my own dreams, I'll miss something with her. That I'll look up one day and realize I chose my career over my daughter, and I'll never forgive myself for it."
"But what if Lily grows up and realizes her mother gave up everything for her?" I asked softly. "What if she carries that weight? I think... I think the best gift we can give our children is showing them that we're whole people too, with dreams and ambitions beyond them."
Rose's eyes glistened. "When did you become so wise?"
"Pregnancy hormones," I said with a weak laugh. "But really, Rose, you deserve to have both—your daughter and your dreams."
She reached over and squeezed my hand. "Thank you, Elena. For listening, for understanding... for being the kind of friend I didn't know I needed."
"That goes both ways," I assured her.
After Rose left, guilt settled heavily in my chest. I sat there for a long moment before reaching for my phone.
"Nicholas?" I said when he answered on the second ring. "She's thinking about it. She said she'll let Lily decide. I couldn't push harder without betraying her trust."
"Lily?" There was surprise in his voice, then something softer. "Of course, she'd leave it up to Lily. She always puts her first."
I hesitated, then added, "Nicholas, did you know she dreams of opening her own hospital? "
There was a long silence. When he finally spoke, his voice was quieter than before. "Thank you for telling me this, Elena. Truly."
"Nicholas—"
"I'll help her," he said with quiet determination. "Not in a way that makes her feel indebted or controlled. I'll find a way she can accept."
I smiled despite myself. "Hope so."
"Now," his tone shifted, becoming lighter, almost playful. "Since you've given me such valuable information, I should return the favor. What dark secret about Sebastian would you like to know? I have plenty."
I laughed, surprised by the offer. "You'd betray your friend that easily?"
"For this? Absolutely. He'd understand. So, what'll it be? His horrible taste in music? His embarrassing childhood incidents? The time he—"
"Pictures," I blurted out before I could stop myself. "Do you have any pictures of him as a child?"
Nicholas chuckled. "Interesting choice. As it happens, I do have some excellent ones. I'll show them to you when you come to the party on Saturday. There's this one from when he was twelve—"
"Deal," I said quickly, grinning at the prospect.
"Perfect. I'll have them ready—"
"Have what ready?" Sebastian's voice came from directly behind me, low and dangerous.
I jumped so hard I nearly dropped the phone, my heart leaping into my throat. I spun around to find him standing barely three feet away, having appeared as silently as a shadow.
"I— you— how long have you been standing there?" I stammered, heat flooding my cheeks.
His frown deepened as he took in my startled expression. "Not long," he said, moving closer to place a steadying hand on my arm. "I didn't mean to scare you. Are you alright?"
"You didn't hear...?"
"Hear what?" He studied my face with those sharp eyes, but there was only concern there, not suspicion. "I just walked in. What's wrong?"
I let out a shaky breath, relief washing over me. "Nothing. You just startled me, that's all."