002

Aurelia POV 

Regina Vance.

That name alone is enough to tighten something painful in my chest. She is the one woman I know never truly left Seth’s mind. His first love.

She left after my accident, talking about chasing her acting dreams, about needing more, about not being ready to settle. She disappeared so completely that, over time, I allowed myself to believe she was gone for good.

Now, even though my heart refuses to accept it, my mind won’t stop whispering her name. Because why else would Seth cut the call like that? He was never like that with me. Never distant. Never abrupt.

No. No, no, no.

Everything would be ruined. My marriage to Seth. Our relationship. The fragile balance we built together. I can’t lose him. I don’t want to lose him.

I sit at the dinner table and try to video call him again. The screen lights up. Rings. Then goes unanswered.

I take a deep breath, forcing my shoulders to relax. It’s fine. There’s nothing wrong. Seth is married to me. He wouldn’t go against Grandfather. He wouldn’t hurt me like that.

To distract myself, I pick up a book and sit back down. He said he’d be home soon, after all.

But my eyes skim over the words without absorbing them. My thoughts keep circling back to Regina. I hate that she still has this kind of power over me. Over my emotions.

Before I ever married Seth, my feelings for him were one-sided. Quiet. Hidden. And sometimes, I’m afraid they still are. When Regina finally left, it felt like I had won something I was never supposed to compete for.

And when Seth married me, everything felt perfect. Complete. Like maybe love had finally chosen me back.

But now… now it feels like everything is crashing down all over again.

I glance at the clock. It’s already nine p.m.

Seth still isn’t home.

I start pacing without realizing it, a nervous habit I thought I’d broken long ago. Back and forth. Again and again.

I grab my phone and try calling him once more. This time, the call doesn’t even go through.

What is going on?

My chest tightens as I sink back onto the couch, forcing myself to breathe. Calm down. Panicking won’t help anything.

The news of my hearing progress suddenly feels pointless as my eyes drift to the dinner I spent hours perfecting. The food has gone cold. The candles have burned low.

I don’t remember when I drift off.

I only feel movement. Strong arms lifting me gently from the couch.

My eyes flutter open.

Seth.

He’s back. Thank God.

As he carries me upstairs, my gaze shifts to the wall clock.

Twelve a.m.

Midnight.

Twelve!

Seth just holds me closer, one arm firm under my knees, the other steady around my back, like he’s afraid I might disappear if he loosens his grip. 

His familiar scent surrounds me. 

It feels warm and comforting. It settles something restless inside my chest.

Maybe I was just paranoid about everything 

I instinctively lean into him, my fingers curling into the fabric of his suit jacket.

 

This is muscle memory. This is us. And nothing was going to change that. 

Even in silence, my body knows him.

When he reaches the bedroom, he lowers me gently onto the bed, careful, always careful. His hand lingers at my waist a second longer than necessary. 

My eyes meet his.

The relief hits me first. He’s here. He came back.

Thank God.

He brushes my hair away from my face, his thumb grazing my cheek in that familiar, intimate way that has nothing to do with obligation and everything to do with habit. His gaze softens. It’s the look that always undoes me.

I lift my hands and sign sleepily, “You’re late.”

A faint smile curves his lips. He nods once, apologetic. Then he signs back, slow and deliberate. “I’m here now.”

His hand slides down to rest against my hip, grounding, possessive in a way that still makes my heart flutter even after all these years. He leans in and presses a gentle kiss to my forehead. The kind of kiss that makes me believe I was safe.

I close my eyes, letting myself sink into the moment, into the warmth of him, into the familiar weight of his presence beside me.

But something feels… off.

His body is tense beneath his calm touch. His movements are controlled, too careful. Like he’s holding something back. Like there’s a thought he’s not letting reach his hands.

I open my eyes again and look at him, really look this time.

His smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

Before I can ask what’s wrong, he leans down and kisses my cheek again. Soft. Familiar. Then he turns and disappears into the bathroom.

I don’t stop him.

Sleep pulls me under once more, and I let it. I choose to ignore the strange feeling that keeps brushing against my thoughts, trying to be noticed.

I won’t give in to it.

Everything is fine.

And that’s how it will stay.

♡♡♡♡♡

I wake up the next morning to cold sheets.

My eyes flutter open fully this time, sleep vanishing in an instant as I reach for Seth’s side of the bed. Empty. Cold. Like he hasn’t been there for a while.

I slip out of bed and head for the bathroom, knocking once. Then twice.

No response.

A slow unease creeps into my chest as I open the door.

The bathroom is empty.

That same strange panic from last night tightens around my ribs. I quickly pull on my robe and head toward the house gym. Maybe he’s there. He used to work out every morning. Even though he hasn’t done that in weeks.

Still, I check.

Just like I expected, the gym is empty too.

I turn to leave when I notice movement. Subtle. Familiar.

I follow it, step by step, until it leads me into the kitchen.

And there he is.

Seth stands by the counter, dressed casually in soft home clothes that make him look almost unreal. The morning sunlight spills across his face, catching in his hair as he moves with practiced ease. Calm. Grounded. Like nothing in the world is wrong.

He looks up.

Our eyes meet.

“Good morning, Aurelia,”  he signs as he walks toward me.

He presses a kiss to my forehead, then rubs my back slowly, warmly. Comfortingly. My body melts into him without thinking. It always does.

It’s rare to see Seth in the kitchen. And whenever he is, good news usually follows. The last time was when he told me he wanted me to start working at Ashford Media as a sign language interpreter.

Maybe he wants to talk about something important again.

Perfect.

I can finally tell him about my hearing progress. About the hearing aids. Maybe we can go to the hospital together to get it.

Maybe I really was afraid for nothing.

He sets a plate of toast and bacon in front of me, then places his own beside it.

“It’s been a long time since you made breakfast like this” I sign, smiling.

He smiles faintly back. “Yes. It has.

Then, slower, I wanted you to wake up to the smell of breakfast. To make up for missing dinner last night.”

My heart softens instantly.

“It’s okay, I sign. We can have dinner another time. Maybe tonight. We could even go to that French restaurant.”

I smile as I take a bite of my toast.

He sets his cup of coffee down carefully.

His expression shifts, just slightly. The warmth doesn’t disappear, but something else slips in beneath it. Seriousness. Heavy…

He looks at me and signs..

“There’s something important I want to tell you, Aurelia.”