Chapter 11

After her mother left, Audrey took a shaky breath, the silence settling uncomfortably in the air. She glanced down at the counter, her hands trembling slightly as she reached for the tray of pastries she'd been arranging. She was trying to keep her composure, to shove down the feelings of inadequacy that her mother's words had unearthed.

But Sebastian wasn't having it. He placed his hand over hers, stilling her movements, his touch warm and grounding. "Hey," he said gently. "You don't have to hide how that made you feel."

Audrey blinked, glancing up at him, her defenses starting to crumble. She tried to pull her hand away, but he held her firm, his gaze steady and unwavering. "I've known you only a short time, Audrey, but I can already see you have a strength your mother can't see. And, I hate to break it to you, but she's wrong. About everything."

She forced a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "It's... it's just something I've gotten used to. Hearing things like that from her."

Sebastian's eyes darkened, and she could sense the barely contained anger he felt on her behalf. "You shouldn't have to 'get used to' being torn down like that. No one deserves that, least of all you." His fingers tightened over hers. "The things she said—they're not true. You're talented, Audrey. I can see it. And you have so much to offer."

His words broke through a part of her that she'd been keeping locked away, the self-doubt she carried like an invisible weight. Suddenly, all the walls she'd built around her heart to protect herself started to crack.

"I just... I've always felt like I wasn't enough," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Not pretty enough, not talented enough... just not enough." The words slipped out before she could stop them, and she immediately felt embarrassed for saying them aloud.

Sebastian's gaze softened as he watched her, the anger in his eyes replaced by something much gentler. "Audrey," he said, his voice low and steady, "you're more than enough. You're... everything. And I know this might sound strange, but I've been drawn to you from the moment we met. There's something about you that I can't shake. Something real."

Audrey's heart stuttered at his words. She looked up at him, searching his face, trying to find any hint of insincerity. But all she saw was warmth, strength, and a quiet intensity that made her feel seen in a way she hadn't before.

"And as for your mother," he continued, a protective edge returning to his voice, "she doesn't define you. She doesn't see who you really are, but I do. You're stronger than you think, and whatever it is you want to do—whether it's baking or something else—you'll be incredible at it."

Audrey's eyes filled with tears, her throat tightening. She swallowed, feeling a swell of gratitude and something deeper, something she wasn't quite ready to name. "Thank you," she whispered.

Sebastian reached out, brushing a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "You don't have to thank me. I'm just speaking the truth."

Before she could think too much, Audrey stepped closer, wrapping her arms around him. He held her close, his warmth surrounding her, making her feel safer than she ever had. For the first time in her life, she felt like she could let go of the fear of not being enough, like maybe—just maybe—she could be happy and loved just as she was.

"Come on," Sebastian murmured after a few moments. "Let's get you out of here for a while. You deserve a break."

She smiled, feeling the weight of her mother's words start to fade in his presence. "Where are we going?" she asked, curiosity sparking in her eyes.

He grinned, the mischievous spark returning to his gaze. "Somewhere that will make you forget everything but the two of us."

And with that, he took her hand, leading her out of the bakery and into a world she never imagined she could be part of—a world where, for the first time, she felt like she belonged.