Chapter 8

EMMA'S POV

The bedroom was eerily quiet, the silence pressing down on us. Sebastian and I sat just a few feet apart, yet the distance between us felt insurmountable.

My fingers played absentmindedly with the hem of my nightgown, twisting and untwisting the fabric.

I looked at him, my throat tight as I finally found my voice. “Do you love me?”  

He didn’t hesitate. “Of course, I love you,” he said as his eyes bore into mine. “I’ve always loved you, Emma, and nothing is ever going to change that.”  

I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to believe him. I wanted to hold onto those words and let them soothe the ache in my chest, but a part of me hesitated.  

“I love you too,” I whispered, and for a moment, everything felt perfect, or at least close to it.  

“Fuck, I love you so much, Emma. More than anything in this world,” he whispered with a soft smile.

“More than yourself?” I asked, teasing lightly with a pout.

He nodded; his tone playful. “More than I love myself, and that is saying a lot.”  

His gaze drifted to my lips, lingering there for a moment before meeting my eyes again. I didn’t move, but I didn’t pull away either. He leaned forward and kissed me.

“Come on,” he murmured, pulling back just enough to speak.  

Sebastian hurriedly slipped on his shorts and climbed into bed beside me. When he pulled me into his arms, I let myself sink into the warmth of his embrace.

But not long after, Sebastian fell into a deep sleep, his breathing slow beside me, I remained wide awake, staring at the dark ceiling.  

I tossed and turned, my mind refusing to stay quiet. Every time I closed my eyes, there was a new question in my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about everything, Ava, Matthew, Sebastian, his heart.  

At first, I told myself everything was for Matthew. That was how all of this began. Sebastian was merely part of my plan to be closer to what was left of Matthew, to have a piece of him still with me.  

But somewhere along the way, something changed.  

I couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment, but it happened. The lines blurred, and I stopped seeing Sebastian as just a part of my plan. I started seeing him as him.

And now I couldn’t deny it anymore.  

I had fallen in love with him.  

I loved Sebastian more than anything, and he had become someone so deeply important to me. This should have been a good thing, right?

Sighing, I squeezed my eyes tightly, silently begging sleep to come.  

I drifted off eventually, quicker than I expected. But of course, there was no way I could sleep properly after thinking too much.

Minutes later, I found myself walking through the house, calling for Sebastian. The rooms were dim, which was odd. Something didn't feel right.

“Sebastian?” I called, my voice echoing in the house.

No answer.  

I wandered from room to room, my heart pounding faster with every step. Where was he? Why wasn’t he answering me? Wasn't he on the bed before?

Finally, I found him in the bathroom, our bathroom. But he wasn’t alone.  

Ava was there, her hands on him, her lips pressed tightly against his.

“Sebastian!” I shouted, my voice trembling with anger and disbelief.  

He turned to me, his expression cold like he was annoyed I'd interrupted.

“Sebastian, what the hell is going on?!” I yelled.

“Jeez Emma, can you speak without yelling for once?” He said with a frustrated look. What the hell was going on? “What did you expect?” he said, his voice harsh. “I love Ava. I’ve always loved her.”  

I stumbled back, my chest tight, my vision blurring with tears. “What… What are you saying? You told me… you told me you loved me!”  

“You were a replacement,” he said. “Something to replace her until she came back.”  

Replacement. The walls seemed to close in on me, and breathing became harder.

Ava turned to me then, a smile playing on her lip, “Did you really think you could keep him?” she taunted. “He was always mine, Emma. You were just… convenient but now I'm back.”  

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I shouted, “You’re lying! This isn’t real!”  

“Emma!” Sebastian suddenly yelled, he had never yelled at me before no matter what, “Accept it. You were only a replacement. Wasn't I the same as you?” The same to me? I suddenly heard a laughter beside me, making my head snap towards the direction. Matthew. What the hell?

The walls continued to close in, and soon I found it impossible to breathe. I clutched my chest tightly, gasping for air as everything around me dissolved into darkness.  

I jolted awake, my heart pounding in my chest, my breath coming in gasps.  

The room was dark, the faint glow of the clock on the nightstand the only light.  

It was just a dream.  

A nightmare.  

I wiped the tears from my cheeks, my hands trembling as they fell to the empty space beside me. Sebastian wasn’t there.  

I glanced at the clock. 8:00 a.m. He should already be at the office by now.  

Trying to shake off the nightmare, I got out of bed and made my way to the kitchen. I started preparing breakfast, hoping it would help calm me.  

But as I moved around the kitchen, I noticed something.  

Ava was not here.

She was usually doing yoga on the couch around this time, or at least finding ways to insert herself into my morning. But today, the couch was empty.  

I tried to tell myself it was nothing, that she was probably still asleep or had gone out for a walk. But with the nightmare, the unease in my chest only grew.  

Something felt off.  

I couldn’t explain it, couldn’t put it into words, but the feeling was there.

Before I knew it, I was dressed and heading out the door.  

Sebastian’s office wasn’t far, and as I walked, the pit in my stomach only increased. I could feel bile riding in my throat.

When I arrived, the building was noisy as people hurried around doing their duties.

I made my way to Sebastian’s office, my footsteps echoing in the empty hallway of his office. His secretary wasn't there which was odd, she was usually around.

As I approached the door, I noticed it was slightly ajar.  

I hesitated, my heart pounding in my chest as I heard voices coming from inside.  

Ava’s voice.  

And then Sebastian’s.  

My hands clenched into fists at my sides as I strained to hear their words.  

But then I heard something that made my blood run cold.  

Ava’s moans.  

And Sebastian’s voice, low and soft, too soft.  

I didn’t wait.  

I flung the door open and shouted, “How dare you betray me behind my back?”