Thea’s POV
“Would it be okay if I visited you tomorrow? There are some things I’d like to discuss with you,” I held the phone close to my ear, waiting for Seraphina’s response. I’d been thinking a lot about my biological parents lately. They seemed like good people, and since our first meeting, they’d reached out multiple times. Today, I finally made a decision—maybe it was time to give them a chance.
“That would be wonderful, Thea!” Seraphina’s voice bubbled with joy. “We’ve been missing you and the pups so much. I wanted to call or visit, but I didn’t want to pressure you if you weren’t ready.”
Her voice made me smile—the first genuine smile since that night.
“What time works for you?” I asked, tracing invisible patterns on the countertop.
“Thea, you’re our daughter. Anytime you want to come—day or night—is perfect for us,” she answered warmly.
We chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up. I set down my phone with a sigh, my gaze falling on the blank TV screen. My mind drifted back to that painful memory from a few days ago. How had everything gone from perfect to completely fucked up? Before that memory resurfaced, everything had been amazing. Truly, ignorance really was fucking bliss.
I never imagined that was how he viewed me and our intimate moments together. I’d always wished for more passion and heat between us, knowing he was holding back, but I still cherished those rare occasions when we slept together. Learning it was just a way for him to release sexual energy while imagining Aurora cut deeper than any knife.
I should have known better. He didn’t love me, didn’t value me. How fucking naive could I be? What did I expect? That he actually enjoyed being intimate with me? In his eyes, I was just a tool, a substitute for Aurora.
I exhaled deeply, trying to push these thoughts away. I was sick of constantly replaying those words in my head. The kids were asleep, and it was time for me to turn in too.
Just as I was about to lock up and turn off the lights, I heard the sound of a car, followed by knocking at the door. Opening it, I was surprised to find Damien and Sebastian standing there. Sebastian was so drunk he could barely stand upright, with only Damien’s arm keeping him from collapsing onto the ground.
“Hey, Thea, sorry to bother you so late, but I had to bring him home,” Damien greeted politely, which surprised me a little.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts, then nodded. “It’s fine, come in.”
I stepped aside to let them enter. Since that night, Sebastian had rarely stayed here overnight. He’d chosen to stay at his apartment, giving me space. He’d tried various ways to reach me—calling, texting, attempting to talk to me directly—but I refused to listen to his explanations because the wound was still raw. I didn’t answer his calls, didn’t read his texts, and when we were in the same space, I pretended he didn’t exist. At one point, I’d almost blocked his number.
“Can I take him to the bedroom?” Damien asked.
I knew which bedroom he meant, and I numbly nodded my consent. Seeing Sebastian this drunk shocked me. The last time he’d gotten wasted was the day before Leo was born, and I couldn’t understand why he’d started drinking heavily again.
A few minutes later, Damien came downstairs, ready to leave, but I stopped him.
“Have you been drinking?” I asked, studying him.
“Yes, though not as much as Sebastian,” he replied politely.
This felt weird, us talking like this. Before, we basically ignored each other, but now it felt like I could actually have a normal conversation with him.
“Is Rayne outside?” I asked.
“No. When I heard Sebastian was drinking alone, I had someone drop me off at the club. I drove his car back.”
“Then stay here tonight. You shouldn’t drive after drinking, and honestly, you shouldn’t have driven here in the first place. You should have called a taxi.” I locked the door, activated the security system, and turned off the exterior lights.
“Thea, it’s fine, I can call a cab,” he gave me a strange look, but I didn’t have time to decipher it.
“No need. Stay the night, have breakfast with us in the morning, and then leave. Really, it’s no problem.”
He stared at me, his expression complex, very similar to his brother’s gaze. I shifted uncomfortably.
“Alright,” he finally agreed. “Thank you.”
“Of course. Good night.”
I heard him mutter good night as I climbed the stairs, wondering why I’d insisted Damien stay. He was right—he could have called a cab, and he was a grown man who knew how to take care of himself.
The simple answer was that I was tired of holding onto past resentments. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life bitter and angry. What they did to me wasn’t my fault—that responsibility would always be on them—but choosing to hold onto that bitterness? That was on me. Though I couldn’t remember what I was like during those four years before my memory loss, I now just wanted to live happily. I wanted to heal, to be the best version of myself. That would never happen if I chose to cling to old grudges.
I walked into the bedroom, pushing the door open. Sebastian still wore his suit, lying on top of the covers. I initially thought about leaving him like that, but he’d be more comfortable in pajamas. I carefully removed his clothes, trying not to wake him. Once finished, I tucked him under the covers. Considering his size was twice mine, this was a challenge, but I eventually got him settled.
After covering him with the blanket and making sure he was comfortable, I turned to leave, but he grabbed my hand. I turned to look at him, seeing the sadness in his eyes. I wanted to push his hand away, but I couldn’t. He had me—not just my hand, but my heart too.
“Please don’t leave me, Thea,” he begged, his voice broken. “I can’t lose you. I just can’t.”