Chapter 5 – Ungerne Feelings
ne there with a warm smile. She raised an eyebrow, remembering him from somewhere,
Turning to see where the voice was coming from, Madeline now Jaren standing there
“Aaron, right?” she asked and he nodded, smiling.
“Tin, you get it” he said, they shook hand, and the introduced hersell again, just in case. He chuckled.
“01, Tremember” he replied warmly.
“everything okay?” he asked, noticing her slight brown,
“Yes, it’s just… I was expecting Sebastian. Hier’s supposed to be here, and I’m calling hot has not picking w
She led all smile, trying to hide her weETY,
“wreel lonely put, I’ll keep you company” Anonrepliedchersfully.
She was appreciative of his politeness and chuckled. Together, they made their way back to the een hall, where they each accepted a glass of wine and clinked them together in a roast as a was carried a tray past. Their mingling made the evening feel lighter.
Madeline greeted a number of the visitors who knew her, and many of them congranulated bet on priting engaged,
congratulatim, Madeline! I heard the big day is coming up one of Sebastian’s collegaald, offering her a warm handlake,
“Thank you” the replied, bei sinde genuine but with a tinge of anxiety beneath the surface,
“It must be noch an eveling time” another added. “Sebastian’s a lucky man”
Although Madeline thanked them and smiled, she was unable to get rid of the knot in her stomach, it was ok to be here without Sebastian.
The der Aaron by the hai, di inking another glass of wide and she joined him,
“Howmum have you had now?” she teased.
Hesked, his face flashed,
“hot enough to worry about. I’m fine” he replied, holding up his glina in a mockast.
Aaron made her laugh and calmed her nerves as they tied their conversation. But as the night went on, her conces about Sebastian started to resurface. She leaned on the bar and sighed,
“Hey, are you okay?” Atomed, concern briefly Dickering through his inebriated gaze.
Madeline shrugged.
Che’d be here by now!
“I don’t know. I’m just worried. I thought h
Aaronchuckled sotily,
lan’s always tine. Trust me, he can take care of himself.”
Aaron made her laugh and calmed herves as they continued their conversation as the night we on her one about Sebastian started to surface, he leaned on the bar and
end of Lim and Sebastian’s, about someone named Emily, the mystery stillingered Glancing
Her mind flashed back to an unresolved conversation she’d had with Liam, a mutual Jaren, who was tipsy enough to be open, she decided it might be her chance to dig a little deeper.
“Hey, Auton” she said, a hint of curiosity in her woler,
“Tell me something to distract me. Anything”
He paused, raising an eyebere,
Something, huh?” He seemed to be milling it over when she gently prompted,
“You could tell me more about Endly and Sebastian?
Aaron’s eyes lit up as he leaned against the bar, seemingly eager to spill some details,
“Oh, Emily and Sebastian, that’s an old mory”
Madeline listened intently as he continued,
They caned back in high school, she was his everything, you know? First love, first kiss maybe the other ‘Tests
He gave her a work, and she tried not to let her up show
“they were cally serious?” she asked, trying to keep her tone casual,
“Oh, yeah” Jaron seplied, nodding,
Whenever they fought the messed up, we’d all have to be take him back. We’d evening times, trying to get her to forgive him”
“They be okan ang when they went to different colleges” Auran added,
“long distance didn’t work out, but they all hang out from time to time”
Although Madine laughed politely, she felt a pain in her chest.
H
This sounded like an important aspect of Sebastian’s background, not just a far–off high school romance. A that moment, Madeline caught a glimpse of mandian moving past the
Einction running high, she sipped her wine rapidly, Sebastian noticed, he approached her and grinned sheepishly,
Something didn’t feel light when he pulled her
embraces yes Landed on a light lipstick stain imkiement to suspicion as she looked at it and then back at him,
stain on his neck as she withdrew, bet expression immediately changed from one of
“What’s wrong?” he asked, making her gate,
Madeline shook her head, not wanting incomate a sortir,
“Nothing – I just want to go hom
Sebastian sighed, running a hand through hila hair,
“Wright, I’m pretty tired, too”
Chapter 5 Lingering Feelings
As they walked out of the event, she finally asked, “Where were you? And why are you so tired?”
“Just work duties. You know how it is?
Her thoughts were racing, but she didn’t push any more. Aaron’s remarks regarding Emily and the lipstick stain on Sebastian’s neck were still reflecting in her mind, she had more questions than answers after the evening
As she and Sebastian walked away, she mustered a mile and waved to Aaron and Liam. But she couldn’t get rid of the doubt that was eating away at her as they made their way to the cat, Was she about to make a terrible mistake by marrying this man?
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Chapter 6 – Accidental Incidents
They were driving through the streets of Florida when Sebastian’s hands iemained firmly on the steering wheel. He barely noticed the city lights as they flickered by the window because he war prescrupled with Madeline’s qu Hin the passenger seat.
Occasionally, he would peek across and notice the land–mons book in het fare, the N apologizing earlier, but she hadonly responded with a terse,
spoken since they had left the gathering, he had attempted to defuse the situation by
- Sebastian followed barr
er inside and shut the door behind them
( was work taff, I know” befour turning to look out the window, her profile framed in the dim glow of passing headlights.
When they eventually reached the house again, she get out of the car silently and moved quickly to the front door. With a groan, Wildelerate and clipped steps, Madeline made her way dinctly rather bech nem
the started taking off her jewelry, swiftly going over each chain and clasp with her fingertips. She slipped out of her dress, zippered it, and hung it neatly on the wardrobe door, hardly Bookingup. The saw tebadian Tall onto the bed in the minor, his eyes already asleep, his breathing relaxing loto a lazy cadence.
With her hands resting in the duessing table and her gaze hard on her mum, Madeline returned liet focustoder jeflection in the mirror for a moment.
She thought about opening her laptop and getting some work done, anything to take her mind off the whirlpood of doutes and ideas.
However, she was exhausted, and the job that lay before seemed insurmountable. She signed and shut the laptop with a soft click and slipped beneath the covers, allowing the familias
She pushed her doubts aside as her eyes closed, hoping that a night’s sleep would help her see things more clearly. Sebastian’s morning, with sunlight peeking through the rusti
Arwings of disappointment settled marly morning made li more diffi
of the bed was vacant when she aw
woke the following
ther chest as she lay there for a while, staring at the empty room. Although she had often convinced herself that he was busy, the emptiness beside her Bu accept. She sighed, forced herself to get up, and went to the tollot to wash herself and prepare for the day
She quickly prepared a sandwich and coffer for herself for heraldast, then sat down at her desk with her laptop open, prepared to start the job she had put off the previous evening. Aflurry of emails, files, and unfinished reports filled the morning.
The hours passed more quickly than she had anticipated as her thoughts strayed constantly. The sound of her phone ringing startled her out of her reverie and brought her back to the present, the noticed Sebastian’s name as she looked at the screen.
Startled, she gave a prompt response, but Sebastian wasn’t the voice on the other end,
“Madeline? It’s Liam” he said, his voice strained, carrying an edge of panic.
Madeline’s stomach dropped,
“Liam? What’s going on?” she asked, her heart already pounding in her chest,
Fit Sebastian, he’s been in an are
Llum replied, his voice barely auditde,
Madeline felt her body po mumb, her mind struggling to grasp what she’d just heard,
She couldn’t being herself to finish the question, her voice tralling off.
“He’s at the hospital, he’s conscious,
Madeline, you should come as soon as you can
She didn’t waste any more time putting
hospital seemed to pron fotreet,akling
the closest clothing, grabbing her keys, and hurrying out the door and into her car. With every red light and sluggish motorist, the journey to the
in her chest.
She held the driving wheel with trembling hands as her mind cared with a thousand ideas and anxieties. Upon arriving at the hospital, she quickly made her way through the sterilecidos nd followed Llain’s instruction to the waiting area.
She saw him with his head in his hands, sitting by himself on a plastic chalt. His face etched with concern, he got up as soon as he spotted her and gave her a tight hug
(asked, pulling back to look him in the eye,
Liam swallowed, printing to a neatly d
“He’s in charge, receiving beatment‘
Madeline mokled as the knowledge that Sebastian was still alive dilledber with relief.
the besitated, because of something in Liam’s one, she examined bd, noting how he shifted uneasily on his feet and averted her eyes,
– Freed to ser hitu” she said famly, stepping toward the door.
“Madeline, war” Liam stammered, rowing to Hocklin way”
“The detor said.”
the was not having any of what he was abo Babting the day hande, disregarding his objectio
adar could see sotmething in hils eyes that lie was trying
She opened li with a trembling hand and wer
editor slowly as she stepped into the rooms, her eyes adjusting to the bongital ‘n antiseptiz neka tanning len nattik. Ma she put clinet, he abruly tur
Elocover up so
unething. She shoved him out of the way and walked past him, 2)
hit the webstian lying on the bed with an IV line attached to his arm and a pale, battered face, with ed his head and met ligi gaze with a book et surpche and remo1.
liet eyes shilliad in the woman whenuat by his bedaddie tün the doctor who was ackessing them. He too seemed untpri
“Madeline” in widgeted, lila yadre weak.
he paused and his eyes flicked between the two women,
