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Richard reminded me of Adam in so many ways. He reminded me of false promises and toxic love. It’s always a tough pill to swallow when you’re hurt by the very person you learned to care for.

No words of comfort will take that pain away.

It wasn’t until I met Klaus that my heart started to truly heal. He didn’t just give me protection, he inspired my heart to feel something again. He made the whole world sweeter just by standing next to me.

It’s a chilly night, but Klaus carries his sister outside and puts her down on her feet. I’m hesitant to join them, but Klaus turns and reaches his arm out for me. The three of us sit down on themarble stairs at the grand entrance.

“When did it all get so complicated?” Klaus says, blowing out a foggy breath.

“I don’t know,” Sera says softly.

Klaus looks over at her.

“I would have helped,” he says. “If you told me you needed me, I would have done everything in my power to take care of you.”

“I wasn’t in a good place then, Klaus,” Sera says. “I was...”

I stand. Klaus’s sister looks up at me with those sorrowful blue eyes.

“I’ll give you some privacy,” I whisper, about to head back inside.

“No, stay,” Sera says. “I don’t mind at all.”

Klaus reaches for my hand and tugs at it until I’m sitting next to him again. I glance down at theway his large hand covers mine. My heart swells with love for this man.

“You were saying?” Klaus asks, turning back toward his sister.

Sera clears her throat. “I know you would have helped me, but I was ashamed of the situation I’d gotten myself into. Youtold me that you didn’t like Richard, but I married him anyway. And toward the end of that relationship, I was in a very dark headspace.I felt like it was my problem. I got myself into it, so I had to get myself out of it.”

“I’m your big brother, Sera,” Klaus says. “It’s my job to be there for you when you need me.”

“I know that now,” she says softly.

“You went to Alaric for help, but you didn’t come to me,” Klaus says, finally saying what’s on his mind. “Why didn’t you come to me, Sera?”

His sister looks at him.

“Because,” she whispers. There’s so much heartbreak in that one word. “I was more concerned about you than I was of myself, Klaus. We all were. I don’t know if you remember, butyour nightmares were worse than ever back then. I didn’t want to give you another thing to worry about.”

“It’s myrightto worry about you,” Klaus says. “Do you understand that?”

She bites down on her bottom lip and nods. She glances up at the night sky. Thousands of stars glitter down at us, making us momentarily forgeteverything that’s wrong with our lives.

“I still don’t understand why you disappeared,” Klaus says, looking at her.

She swallows. “I was scared. When I heard about the car accident, I didn’t believe for a second that Richard was actually dead. All I could think was, ‘he’sfinally going to kill me.’ My gut told me to lay low for a while. I knew the kids would be safer with you than they were with me, so I stayed hidden. It took me a while to regain my strength, but when I did, I decided that I needed to take matters into my own hands. I couldn’t find Richard on my own, but I knew that you would look for him tirelessly. So I stayed in the periphery, watching over your lives from a distance and waiting for this day to come.”

“It didn’t have to be that way,” Klaus says. “If you had just talked to me about what was happening, I would have taken care of Richard.”

“I’m sorry,” Sera says, looking at her brother. “I know I ended up doing more harm than good in the end. I messed up so bad.”

He wraps his arm around her and squeezes her shoulder.

“It’s over now,” he says. “I’m just happyyou’re finally home.”

She leans on his shoulder.

We sit in silence, bathed by starlight. I don’t know how it happened—but for the first time, everything feels like it’s falling into place.