He Stands at the End of Memory

When Sebastian came home, I was sorting through all my clothes and jewelry.He probably assumed I was just in a bad mood and wanted new things to lift my spirits. He wrapped his arms around me from behind, his palms warm, his voice soft with indulgence. "There's an auction in a few days. I'll take you to pick out new pieces, and I'll stay close and make it up to you."I said nothing, letting him hold me, too tired even to offer a polite smile.His gaze drifted to my waist and stopped.He seemed to notice that the slight swell of my belly from the week before was flat again.He was about to ask when his phone rang.It was my uncle.The gentle voice on the other end asked if I wanted to come by for a gathering. Serena was back from abroad.Serena, my cousin.Before I could react, Sebastian had already accepted for us.He had completely forgotten that my father had been buried only days ago, that I was still sunk in the grief of losing him. He spared me not an ounce of thought, not a shre

Sebastian pulled every connection and every ounce of power he had, searching the whole city like a man possessed. After a full day and night, he finally got Serena back."Sebastian, this had nothing to do with Vivienne. She didn't do it. You've got her wrong."That one short sentence shattered all of Sebastian's suspicion and certainty in an instant.He went rigid, the menace draining from his eyes, replaced by heavy shock and a belated trace of guilt.A moment later he walked into my room."Vivienne, I'm sorry. I was rash. I blamed you wrongly."So no matter how I explained myself, it counted for nothing next to one light sentence from Serena.After I was discharged, I went back alone to the house full of false tenderness.One by one I gathered up the expensive, exquisite gifts and tossed them into a discard box.There was no reluctance and no regret, only a complete sense of release. I did not want a shred of the affection built on lies.Once Sebastian had settled things with Serena,

The wind in this foreign country was gentle and easy, and it blew away all the gloom I had carried for three years.I had been in this small seaside town for several days now. The temperature stayed mild year-round and the sea breeze drifted slow and easy, with no endless intrigues, no ambiguous affection I couldn’t distinguish as real or fake, and none of the man who had taken all my heart and left me covered in wounds.I rented an apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows and a view of the sea. Each morning I opened them to blue water, and at dusk the last of the light spread across the whole balcony, quiet and healing. I set down the chains of the past for good and slowly returned to a life that was my own.I signed up for the flower-arranging and oil-painting classes I had always liked, and my days were plain and full. I slowly came out of my shell and met a group of warm, uncomplicated new friends. They were pure and kind, untangled by love or hatred, content to chat about trivial j

Serena's urging finally moved Sebastian to take that step.He set aside all his pride, left everything back home, and came alone to a foreign country, hoping to win me back.He must have stayed certain that three years of deep love had rooted itself in me, that if he only bowed his head, I would surely come back.But he did not know that my heart had long since died amid countless disappointments.I was settled now in this small seaside town, my days gentle and clean, with no more suffocation, no more deception, and no more endless self-torment.Julian was at my side, keeping me safe, giving me a love that was equal and pure, something I had never felt before.The day Sebastian found me, I was walking by the sea with Julian.Seeing him again after months, he still had that proud, aloof look, only now there was a haste and a raggedness in his eyes.He came toward me quickly, his tone yielding and tentative, trying to explain the past and offer a late apology.But Julian steadily drew me