Chapter 7

“Olivia?"

The warm, familiar gasp of my name slams into me like a jolt of lightning. I rip away from Sebastian as if scorched, a deep flush blooming wildly across my cheeks. My eyes fly wide, heart thundering as I catch sight of the last two people I ever expected to see standing at the door—my mom and dad.

Looking absolutely stunned, like they’ve just walked in on something they never thought they'd see. A reality they couldn’t have even imagined.

"M–Mom? Dad?" I whisper, the words trembling on my lips, disbelieving and breathless. The sight of them feels like a hallucination. How long had it been? How long since I saw those eyes, felt their presence?

This—this moment was…

"Ahem… Well. This was… unexpected," my dad mutters, clearing his throat with awkward authority. His eyes dart between me and Sebastian with an astonished expression. They walk toward us slowly, like they’re afraid we’ll disappear if they blink.

"Mother-in-law. Father-in-law," Sebastian greets warmly, nodding respectfully even as tension stiffens his shoulders.

Mom doesn't respond right away. She pulls him into a hug, her hands patting his back lightly.

"Are you alright, Olivia? How do you feel now?" My dad’s voice is gentle but tight. He cups my cheeks with both hands, thumbs brushing against my temples, grounding me to reality. I go to speak, to say something but Mom cuts in before I can even form a thought.

"She never listens to us, Cedric! I don't know what to do anymore!" Her voice cracks with emotion. "How can you be so stubborn, Olivia?"

She gestures wildly at Sebastian, shaking her head as tears brim in her eyes. "Look at the worry lines on this man’s face!" Her voice drops into a heartbreaking whisper, her disappointment weighing the air down like bricks.

"Calm down, Amelia," Dad murmurs, trying to soothe her, but he doesn’t move from my side. His hands wrap around mine, firm and steady, like he’s trying to anchor me to him.

But his eyes harden. "Haven’t I warned you to stay away from that foolish boy, Philip? You wanted to die for him, Olivia! This… this isn’t how I raised you."

I swallow thickly, mouth dry, voice stuck in my throat. There’s too much happening. It’s overwhelming. My chest tightens as I try to breathe past the weight pressing down on me.

The last time I heard from my parents was after they disowned me. A massive, ugly fight. All because of Philip.

And then… they died in a car accident. Just hours after that they left Sebastian’s house.

So seeing them now—it’s so…

"Dad…" I choke back a sob, tears welling as I throw my arms around him, burying my face into his chest. My fingers clutch his shirt like it’ll disappear if I let go.

I inhale sharply. That scent. That warm, familiar scent of home. Of childhood. Of safety. It soothes my aching soul.

"Why are you crying now?" he asks softly, rubbing my back in that old, rhythmic way that always used to calm me. His voice is now half a scold.

"I'll change," I hiccup, pulling back just enough to see my mother now rubbing my hair, her frown still firm, but her touch… tender.

"I'll change, Mom. I don't want anyone else. I’ll be a good wife to Sebastian from now on. You don’t have to worry."

Mom’s eyes go wide, startled. Her gaze flicks to Sebastian, then back to me. Her brows furrow in confusion.

"Huh? Are you serious?"

Even Dad’s jaw drops. His expression twists in disbelief.

"Are you sure she didn’t hit her head somewhere after she woke up?" Mom asks Sebastian seriously, clearly concerned.

Sebastian looks equally stunned. His eyes widen like he hadn’t expected me to say any of this, especially not in front of my parents. Throwing him a warm smile, I wink at him, playfully defiant.

"Yes. I only want Sebastian now. No other man compares to him. So… we’re giving our marriage another chance, right, Seb?"

I smile, cheeky and proud, even as my heart flips wildly in my chest. Mom and Dad look dumbfounded. They glance between us like they’re trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.

Sebastian clears his throat, recovering first.

"Yes, Mother-in-law. Father-in-law. Olivia had promised to change. You don’t have to worry anymore. I’ll keep her safe. Something like this won’t be repeated again."

There’s steel in his voice, a quiet vow that settles in the room like a sacred promise. Mom pats his shoulder with a soft, approving smile. “We trust you Sebastian."

"As for you, silly girl…" Dad grumbles, tapping my nose with a strict but loving touch. His face is stern, but his eyes gleam with emotion.

"You’d better keep your word this time around."

****

"Honey… this steak is too hard, and my fingers ache…" I pout, poking dramatically at the stubborn meat, my bandaged wrists on full display like a well-rehearsed show. A cheeky smile tugs at my lips as Sebastian, wordlessly and without a single trace of complaint, takes my plate of steak and begins cutting it into bite-sized pieces, like it's the most natural thing in the world.

My heart does a little somersault. All the while, Mom and Dad watch us from across the table, their eyes wide, locked onto our interaction like they’re witnessing aliens perform human behavior for the first time.

Which, technically… they are.

In my past life, I wouldn’t have dared let Sebastian cut up my food—hell, I wouldn’t even sit at the same table if he was present. My version of marriage with him had been laced in cold shoulders, bitter silence, and invisible walls I built with every breath.

So, this 360-degree shift is probably making their heads spin.

I’d been discharged just two hours ago, and Mom and Dad insisted, no, demanded, we follow them home for dinner. I didn’t argue. Couldn’t argue. Some part of me wanted to be close, to soak in the pieces of what I lost.

Dinner is soft.

Warm conversations flow like honey across the table. Laughter bubbles up, healing something deep and bruised inside me. The ache in my heart begins to quiet, replaced by something I haven't felt in a long time—belonging.

I can’t believe I threw all this away… just for Philip.

What the hell was I thinking?

"Thank you for dinner, mother-in-law," Sebastian says, his voice laced with genuine warmth, his smile tender as he faces Mom. My heart clenches with longing—I wonder how long it’ll be before he smiles at me like that again. Before I earn it. Before I deserve it.

"You’re welcome, son," Mom replies sweetly.

"Ahem…" Dad clears his throat as he shifts in his seat, his tone casual, but there’s a hint of something more behind his words. "Since you both are already here… why don’t you stay the night?"

He side-eyes Mom, who immediately perks up like she’d been waiting for the cue.

"Uh, yes!" she says a little too eagerly. "It’s late already and, uh… the guest room is… untidy. So you two will have to stay together… in your room."

Her words hang in the air as silence falls over the table.

Sebastian’s gaze shifts to me, he doesn’t say a word. Just watches.

This is the part where the old me would throw a fit. The part where I'd storm off or fake a migraine or sleep in the car. We’ve been married for three years now… and I’ve never—not once—shared a room with him. I never even let him near my door.

But now…?

Now I see that hesitant glimmer in his eyes. The restraint. The same glint of caution mirrored in my parents’ expressions.

It stirs a deep ache in my chest. But I’ve built this mess, and maybe, just maybe, I can start untangling it from here.

Quietly, I reach for Sebastian's hand and slip my fingers into his. His eyes widen for a beat—just a beat—before softening.

"Sure, Mom," I say with a small nod, holding onto him like I mean it. "We’ll stay the night."