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“Forget your stupid brother for a moment.”
“I—Yes.”
“What happened?”
“I thought I’d be over it by now, over him. But when I see him, it’s like ripping open an old wound.” I slump back against my pillows.
“It’s no wonder with your history together.”
Landon speaks in the background, “That bastard doesn’t deserve another second of your time.”
“Landon,” Anne chides softly.
“What? It’s true, and you know it.”
“Maybe not,” she says. “Sebastian isn’t doing well, either.”
That catches me off guard. “What do you mean he isn’t doing well?”
There’s a loaded pause before Anne responds carefully, “He seems… different since… More withdrawn and working himself to the grave.”
Landon scoffs audibly. “Good. Let the bastard suffer.”
I wince at the harshness in his tone, an old protectiveness rising unbidden. “Lan…”
“No, Lil. He doesn’t get to play the victim here. Not after what he did to you.”
He doesn’t even know all of it. My chest tightens, the memories threatening to surface. I push them down, focusing on the present. “It’s not that simple.” I was at fault, too.
“Isn’t it? He used you. Barron’s do that.”
Each word is like a knife to my heart, twisting painfully. Because he’s right. Sebastian did use me. But even now, after everything, there’s a part of me that still yearns for him. Still wants to believe there was something real between us. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I blink them back furiously. I don’t want to cry. Not over him. Not again.
“It’s okay to still care about him,” Anne says gently. “Those feelings don’t just switch off. But you need to do what’s best for you, and if you still love him and want to give it another try. Do it.”
What if that’s the way?
Because letting go of Sebastian… it feels like letting go of a part of myself. A part I’m not sure I’m ready to say goodbye to yet. And if that doesn’t work out, maybe I’m able to let him go.
Landon mutters something unintelligible in the background.
“Ignore him,” Anne says. “This is about you and what you want.”
“I want to stop feeling like this. Like I’m constantly being pulled in two different directions.”
“Then maybe it’s time to choose a direction.”
“Have you thought about coming home?” Landon asks.
Home. The word sends an unexpected pang through me.
“I don’t know. With everything between me and Marc…” I trail off uncertainly. “Does Marc still hate me?”
“He’s still mad, but not because he hates you,” Anne pauses before continuing. “He thought you were happy with Jason and couldn’t see that you didn’t want to marry him. But you know how he is—stubborn as a mule.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s…”
“It’s time for a visit,” Landon says. “And who knows? Maybe you’ll find someone here.”