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Sebastian's face instantly changed from cold fire and burning anger to more gentle and caring. He let go of me instantly, and I saw a flash of regret in his eyes. We were both transfixed for a moment, surprised by Ace's sudden appearance. The silence between us was so tense it was as if the whole world stopped moving in that instant.

I turned to face Ace and immediately knelt down to level with him. "Ace, baby, why are you awake?" I asked in as gentle a voice as possible, even though my heart was still pounding from what had just happened.

Ace gripped his stuffed train tightly and walked over with small, unsteady steps. "I heard you talking. Why are you yelling?" he asked, his big, clear eyes looking at me in confusion.

Sebastian also moved closer to us, his face looking calmer but still showing concern. "I'm sorry, Ace. We didn't mean to scare you," he said as he knelt down next to me. His hand gently touched Ace's shoulder. "We were just... discussing."

I shot Sebastian a sharp look