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Chapter 11: Just Us

Penulis: Ritzy T.
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-06 22:16:39

The snowflakes fall around us, each one drifting softly, like they don’t have a care in the world. I watch them for a moment, lost in the quiet. The night feels cold, but not in the way I expected. There’s warmth here, not from the air but from Sebastian standing beside me. His presence feels solid, like he’s not just here physically, but really with me, in a way that makes everything else fade.

We’re walking through the forest, and I’m still trying to figure out why he brought me here. It wasn’t a question of whether I felt safe with him. Because I did. It’s just that everything felt like it was shifting so fast. One moment, we’re at odds, and the next, I find myself walking hand-in-hand with him on a snowy path, heading to God knows where.

The clearing comes into view. I wasn’t prepared for this. The space feels like something out of a winter dream. Fairy lights twinkling in the trees, casting soft shadows across the snow. The air is filled with the smell of pine and wood smoke, and in the center of it all, there’s a fire pit, its flames flickering gently, dancing as if they’re alive.

Sebastian stops beside me and turns to look at me, waiting for my reaction. His eyes are soft, expectant. I swallow, unsure what to say. This wasn’t just any random gesture. He planned this.

“I didn’t know you were the romantic type,” I joke, trying to keep my voice steady, but even I can hear the edge of surprise in it.

His lips curve into a smile. It’s small, but it holds warmth. “I’m not. But I thought you might appreciate it.” He motions to the setup with a sweep of his hand. “I know you’re always surrounded by people, and sometimes it feels like the world is loud. So, I wanted to give you some space. Some quiet.”

I take it in, the scene stretching before me like a dream that’s still too real to process. I hadn’t expected this. I don’t even know why I’m still surprised by him. He keeps showing up in ways that make me feel like I can’t quite keep up, yet there’s something comforting about that. As if, for the first time in a long while, someone actually gets it.

I sit on one of the cushions near the fire, feeling the warmth spread through me, but there’s something else too. A feeling that catches me off guard. It’s vulnerability, something I’ve been running from. But tonight, I can’t ignore it.

Sebastian sits across from me, his hands wrapped around a steaming mug of mulled wine. He leans forward, his gaze steady on mine. There’s a depth to him now, something more than the charming, distant architect I met.

“Are you always this thoughtful?” I ask, trying to break the silence.

His lips twitch, like he’s holding back something. Maybe a laugh, maybe something more. “I guess I’m trying to be. I know I’m not the easiest guy to read. But I wanted to show you that I’m serious about this. About us.”

I blink at him, the weight of his words slowly sinking in. “Us?” I repeat, just to be sure I heard him correctly.

His expression softens, and he leans a little closer. “Yeah. Us.” He pauses, searching my face. “Selina, I’ve never been good at showing my feelings. But when I’m with you, everything feels different. I want this. I want you.”

I swallow, feeling my heart race. I don’t know if it’s the fire or the way he’s looking at me, but I feel exposed. Bare. It’s too soon, too fast. Yet, I can’t push it away. I’ve been hurt before, and it scares me.

“But what about everything else? Your career? And your life outside Snowfall Valley?” I ask, the words coming out before I can stop them. “You know this isn’t simple, right? You can’t just fix everything with fairy lights and wine.”

He smiles, though there’s no humor in it. Just understanding. “I don’t want to fix everything, Selina. I just want to be here. For you. I know you’ve been through a lot, and I won’t pretend it’s easy. But I’m not going anywhere. You can push me away all you want, but I’m not going anywhere.”

The force of his words hits me like a wave, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. His sincerity cuts through the walls I’ve spent so long building. And I realize, for the first time, that I don’t want him to go anywhere.

I’m scared. I know this could end badly. My heart aches just thinking about it. But there’s something about him, something I can’t deny anymore. Maybe it’s the way he’s been there, quietly waiting for me to catch up. Maybe it’s the fact that, despite everything, he makes me feel seen, understood.

“I’m not good at this,” I say. “I don’t know how to let myself trust again. I’ve been hurt, and I—”

“You don’t have to explain it to me,” he interrupts gently, but there’s a quiet firmness to his voice. “I get it. But I’m not him, Selina. I’m not going to hurt you.”

His words hang in the air, and the quiet stretches between us. I search his eyes, looking for any hint of doubt, of insincerity, but there’s nothing. Just sincerity.

I lean forward slightly, the warmth from the fire mixing with the warmth from him. “Okay,” I whisper. It’s not much, but it’s everything. It’s me letting go, just a little bit, and that’s all I can give right now.

Sebastian’s eyes soften, and he reaches for my hand, his fingers brushing mine before threading through them. I look down at our joined hands, feeling the weight of the gesture. This, right here, is real. He’s real.

“I want to make this work,” he says quietly, like the night itself is holding us together. “No more games, no more pretending.”

His words linger in the air, making my heart flutter in a way I can’t quite control. I meet his gaze, the intensity in his eyes pulling me in, and for a moment, the world feels smaller. Just the two of us, standing under the stars.

“You’re making it hard to ignore you,” I murmur, a nervous smile tugging at my lips.

“Good,” he replies, his voice soft but sure. “I don’t want to be ignored.”

The words feel like a promise, a pledge, even though I know I’m not fully ready. But in that moment, I don’t care. I can’t keep pretending that I don’t feel what I do. And nothing else matters.

As we sit there, wrapped in the quiet of the night, I let myself feel the truth of it. We’re here. We’re together.

And then, just as I think everything is finally falling into place, my phone buzzes in my pocket, jolting me back to reality.

I pull it out, expecting nothing. But the moment I see the message on the screen, my stomach drops.

“We need to talk. It’s urgent.”

It’s from Celine.

I look at Sebastian, his face suddenly hardening, as if he senses the shift in the air. The moment between us has broken, and the weight of reality settles back in.

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  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 12: Shattered Ground

    I push the door open to Everhart Bakery, the familiar bell above jingling softly. The warm, comforting scent of freshly baked pastries fills the air, but it does little to calm the tightness in my chest. The knot that’s been growing ever since I read Celine’s text last night: “We need to talk. It’s urgent.”I glance around and spot her at the back, sitting at a corner table. Her hands are wrapped around a coffee cup, her fingers tapping anxiously. She doesn’t see me yet, so I take a moment to collect myself.I take a deep breath before walking over and sitting down. “Celine,” I start, trying to sound steady, but I can already feel my heart racing. “What’s going on? You said it was urgent.”She looks up at me, her eyes heavy with something I can't quite place. She hesitates before speaking, and that makes my heart pound even harder. “It’s about this bakery,” she says quietly, like she’s afraid someone might overhear.The words hit me like a slap. “What about it?” I manage, trying not t

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-07
  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 13: Too Late to Turn Back

    Victor's POVI stood outside Everhart Bakery, just a few feet away from the door. My thoughts were consumed by the sight of the bakery. The place where it all started, and where it all ended. I thought I could just walk in, talk to Selina, tell her I had returned. But something kept me rooted to the spot.The old familiar ache stirred in me as I watched her through the window.She wasn’t alone.I saw her when she collided with someone. I wanted to help Selina since she was covered in flour, but I couldn’t find the strength to go up to her.I watched her laugh at something the man beside her said, and it hit me like a punch to the gut. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with a calm presence that contrasted with the warmth radiating from Selina. A gentle warmth in his eyes made something stir within me.Sebastian Frost. The architect. I knew who he was. The town’s golden boy. The guy who looked like he had it all together. Snowfall Valley is so small that it's easy to recognize people, espe

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-09
  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 14: When the Past Walks In

    Selina's POVI stand there, frozen. My eyes are fixed on Victor, my ex-boyfriend. The one man who broke my heart so many years ago. His presence in my bakery feels like a cruel twist of fate, one I never saw coming. The silence between us is thick, the burden of the past pressing down on me like an unshakable shadow.Victor, standing by the counter, just casually dropped the bombshell. He’s one of the key players behind the town’s new development project. He’s been part of the plan that could wipe away my mother’s legacy, the bakery, off the map. Every word he says hits me like a blow straight to the core, but I can’t bring myself to react. My mind is numb, too stunned to make sense of it all.I should be angry. I should scream at him, demand answers. But instead, I just stand there, completely at a loss for what to do, what to feel. What’s worse? The pain he caused me years ago, or the betrayal I feel now? I can’t tell. It’s as though all the hurt, the years of healing, come rushing

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-09
  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 15: A Breath of Fresh Air

    The tension from the bakery is still hanging over me like a thick fog. The moment Victor’s words replay in mind, the past seems to linger heavily on me, and the question that had plagued me for so long—what now?—lingers like a haunting whisper.So, here I am, sitting beside Sebastian in his car, the engine purring softly as we cruise down the winding roads of Snowfall Valley. The sky is a muted grey, with clouds rolling in, but for some reason, I feel like the open road is the only thing that’s offering me some form of escape.This is the morning after everything that’s happened. The confrontation with Victor, the unexpected bombshell he dropped, and the emotional whirlwind that followed. Sebastian must have known that I needed space to clear my mind, because he suggested a road trip, a chance to get away from the chaos and breathe.I glance over at him, his eyes focused on the road. He’s quiet, but there’s an unspoken understanding between us. He gets it.Beside me, Celine looks out

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  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 16: Under the Stars

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  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 17: Campfire Kisses

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  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 18: Peaceful Return

    I wake up to the sound of leaves rustling outside the tent, the morning light filtering through the trees. I blink a few times, still half asleep, and then I realize I’m not alone.Sebastian is lying next to me, his arm draped casually over my waist. His dark hair is messy, his chest rising and falling in steady breaths as he sleeps beside me. The warmth of his body against mine makes everything feel so peaceful. I allow myself to just stay there, not moving, enjoying the feeling of being close to him.His face, still relaxed in sleep, holds an expression of quiet contentment that I haven’t seen before. He looks softer, more vulnerable, and it makes my heart skip a beat in a way I wasn’t expecting.I gently shift, careful not to wake him, and try to pull the blanket up a little more around me. But as I move, my action must disturb him because he stirs, blinking his eyes open slowly. His eyes meets mine immediately. He doesn’t say anything, just studying me like he’s trying to memorize

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  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 19: Next Steps

    The scent of garlic and herbs hits me first, teasing my senses and dragging me out of the warm haze of sleep. My stomach rumbles in response, and I can’t help but smile. It’s the kind of hunger that only the smell of comfort food can provoke. Like my body knew it was time to wake up and eat. It takes a moment to remember where I am. My house. And now, I’m lying here like a potato, tangled in the blanket.I pull myself up, fixing my hair from my face as I stand and walk toward the kitchen. Celine is singing along to some random playlist, stirring something on the stove with way more focus than someone cooking for just two people should have.“You know, you’re starting to get pretty good at this,” I say, leaning against the doorframe, grinning. “I didn’t realize you had a hidden talent for cooking.”She turns, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “What can I say? I’m a woman of many talents.” She flips the spatula in the air dramatically and catches it. “You’re lucky I’m here. You’d starve

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-16

Bab terbaru

  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 19: Next Steps

    The scent of garlic and herbs hits me first, teasing my senses and dragging me out of the warm haze of sleep. My stomach rumbles in response, and I can’t help but smile. It’s the kind of hunger that only the smell of comfort food can provoke. Like my body knew it was time to wake up and eat. It takes a moment to remember where I am. My house. And now, I’m lying here like a potato, tangled in the blanket.I pull myself up, fixing my hair from my face as I stand and walk toward the kitchen. Celine is singing along to some random playlist, stirring something on the stove with way more focus than someone cooking for just two people should have.“You know, you’re starting to get pretty good at this,” I say, leaning against the doorframe, grinning. “I didn’t realize you had a hidden talent for cooking.”She turns, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “What can I say? I’m a woman of many talents.” She flips the spatula in the air dramatically and catches it. “You’re lucky I’m here. You’d starve

  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 18: Peaceful Return

    I wake up to the sound of leaves rustling outside the tent, the morning light filtering through the trees. I blink a few times, still half asleep, and then I realize I’m not alone.Sebastian is lying next to me, his arm draped casually over my waist. His dark hair is messy, his chest rising and falling in steady breaths as he sleeps beside me. The warmth of his body against mine makes everything feel so peaceful. I allow myself to just stay there, not moving, enjoying the feeling of being close to him.His face, still relaxed in sleep, holds an expression of quiet contentment that I haven’t seen before. He looks softer, more vulnerable, and it makes my heart skip a beat in a way I wasn’t expecting.I gently shift, careful not to wake him, and try to pull the blanket up a little more around me. But as I move, my action must disturb him because he stirs, blinking his eyes open slowly. His eyes meets mine immediately. He doesn’t say anything, just studying me like he’s trying to memorize

  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 17: Campfire Kisses

    Selina's POVI never imagined I’d find myself on a camping trip. Honestly, when Sebastian had first mentioned it, I thought it was one of his quirky ideas. I pictured a secluded forest with damp, uncomfortable tents, the sound of crickets in the air, and mosquitoes buzzing in my ear. But here we are, in a cozy little camping spot, the evening sky already deepening into a starry night as the last silver of sunset fades behind the trees.Celine is already setting up the campfire, her laughter filling the air. She has brought marshmallows and hot dogs, which, of course, are her idea of gourmet camping food. She pulls them out of her cooler, practically beaming with excitement as she hands them over.I can’t help but laugh. There’s something about her joy that makes these simple foods feel like the best thing ever.“Hey, you two! Help me with the firewood!” Celine calls out, waving a stick in her hand like she’s wielding a sword. “Or I’ll burn everything down myself!”“Don’t tempt me,” I

  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 16: Under the Stars

    Sebastian's POVIt’s funny, really, how much a few words can change everything.I keep thinking about the last time Selina and I were together, that night I confessed to her, how I felt, how much she mattered. It’s been lingering in my mind ever since. I could still hear her voice in my head, soft but unsure, as she processed everything. She wasn’t ready for it, I could tell, but somehow, I wasn’t scared. Not like I used to be when it came to emotions. The truth is, being around her felt different. There was something about her, her kindness, her strength, the way she made everything seems so real that made me want to take the risk.I don’t know what I expected after that night, but certainly not this. This easy bond between us, this quiet understanding that’s formed without either of us needing to try too hard. I catch myself smiling at little things now. Like the way she looks at me when she’s lost in thought, or how she scrunches her nose when she’s trying not to laugh at something

  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 15: A Breath of Fresh Air

    The tension from the bakery is still hanging over me like a thick fog. The moment Victor’s words replay in mind, the past seems to linger heavily on me, and the question that had plagued me for so long—what now?—lingers like a haunting whisper.So, here I am, sitting beside Sebastian in his car, the engine purring softly as we cruise down the winding roads of Snowfall Valley. The sky is a muted grey, with clouds rolling in, but for some reason, I feel like the open road is the only thing that’s offering me some form of escape.This is the morning after everything that’s happened. The confrontation with Victor, the unexpected bombshell he dropped, and the emotional whirlwind that followed. Sebastian must have known that I needed space to clear my mind, because he suggested a road trip, a chance to get away from the chaos and breathe.I glance over at him, his eyes focused on the road. He’s quiet, but there’s an unspoken understanding between us. He gets it.Beside me, Celine looks out

  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 14: When the Past Walks In

    Selina's POVI stand there, frozen. My eyes are fixed on Victor, my ex-boyfriend. The one man who broke my heart so many years ago. His presence in my bakery feels like a cruel twist of fate, one I never saw coming. The silence between us is thick, the burden of the past pressing down on me like an unshakable shadow.Victor, standing by the counter, just casually dropped the bombshell. He’s one of the key players behind the town’s new development project. He’s been part of the plan that could wipe away my mother’s legacy, the bakery, off the map. Every word he says hits me like a blow straight to the core, but I can’t bring myself to react. My mind is numb, too stunned to make sense of it all.I should be angry. I should scream at him, demand answers. But instead, I just stand there, completely at a loss for what to do, what to feel. What’s worse? The pain he caused me years ago, or the betrayal I feel now? I can’t tell. It’s as though all the hurt, the years of healing, come rushing

  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 13: Too Late to Turn Back

    Victor's POVI stood outside Everhart Bakery, just a few feet away from the door. My thoughts were consumed by the sight of the bakery. The place where it all started, and where it all ended. I thought I could just walk in, talk to Selina, tell her I had returned. But something kept me rooted to the spot.The old familiar ache stirred in me as I watched her through the window.She wasn’t alone.I saw her when she collided with someone. I wanted to help Selina since she was covered in flour, but I couldn’t find the strength to go up to her.I watched her laugh at something the man beside her said, and it hit me like a punch to the gut. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with a calm presence that contrasted with the warmth radiating from Selina. A gentle warmth in his eyes made something stir within me.Sebastian Frost. The architect. I knew who he was. The town’s golden boy. The guy who looked like he had it all together. Snowfall Valley is so small that it's easy to recognize people, espe

  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 12: Shattered Ground

    I push the door open to Everhart Bakery, the familiar bell above jingling softly. The warm, comforting scent of freshly baked pastries fills the air, but it does little to calm the tightness in my chest. The knot that’s been growing ever since I read Celine’s text last night: “We need to talk. It’s urgent.”I glance around and spot her at the back, sitting at a corner table. Her hands are wrapped around a coffee cup, her fingers tapping anxiously. She doesn’t see me yet, so I take a moment to collect myself.I take a deep breath before walking over and sitting down. “Celine,” I start, trying to sound steady, but I can already feel my heart racing. “What’s going on? You said it was urgent.”She looks up at me, her eyes heavy with something I can't quite place. She hesitates before speaking, and that makes my heart pound even harder. “It’s about this bakery,” she says quietly, like she’s afraid someone might overhear.The words hit me like a slap. “What about it?” I manage, trying not t

  • Frosted with Love   Chapter 11: Just Us

    The snowflakes fall around us, each one drifting softly, like they don’t have a care in the world. I watch them for a moment, lost in the quiet. The night feels cold, but not in the way I expected. There’s warmth here, not from the air but from Sebastian standing beside me. His presence feels solid, like he’s not just here physically, but really with me, in a way that makes everything else fade.We’re walking through the forest, and I’m still trying to figure out why he brought me here. It wasn’t a question of whether I felt safe with him. Because I did. It’s just that everything felt like it was shifting so fast. One moment, we’re at odds, and the next, I find myself walking hand-in-hand with him on a snowy path, heading to God knows where.The clearing comes into view. I wasn’t prepared for this. The space feels like something out of a winter dream. Fairy lights twinkling in the trees, casting soft shadows across the snow. The air is filled with the smell of pine and wood smoke, and

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