Page 175 of Modern Romance September 2025 5-8

‘It’s me…’ Aurora said, and he felt, heard the awe in her voice. And when he looked at her, everything, everyone else vanished.

‘It is you,’ he confirmed. His hands had wanted to build nothing else since the morning he’d seen her beneath his studio window. With a thousand wishes at her feet.

‘Oh, Sebastian…’ Her mouth parted, her eyes darting to his, then back to his creation. Metal bent to his will. He had moulded a moment. A private moment only he had seen.

‘I built a thousand wishes at your feet,’ he said to her. Only to her. ‘Because I know, I understand, if Amelia had one wish, she would have wished for you, Aurora. Your spirit, your determination to live, to be who you are unashamed to be… Amelia would have wished for you to make me understand what was necessary. I understand now,’ he said deeply. ‘With your face, this sculpture, you will be the face of our new foundation to support children like her.’ His throat clogged. ‘Children like the boy I was.’

He turned back to the crowd, his heart raging. He raised his free hand to the walls that had been expertly lighted to showcase his art in all its forms.

‘The art on the surrounding walls is yours to purchase,’ he said, because he would take their money. He would take it all. ‘But this—’ he waved behind him ‘—is the symbol of our new charity. And it is called Amelia’s Wish.’

He couldn’t help it. His voice dried up in his throat. Something pushed it down…something he could not describe. It was light and heavy at the same time.

‘Enjoy your meals,’ he croaked. And pulled Aurora back the way they’d come. Down between the tables. And their eyes followed them.

Sebastian’s feet faltered. Only slightly, only a tiny misstep, but Aurora’s hold on him firmed as they…

Clapped.

Applauded his crude and ugly speech.

Applauded what he was and what he would now do.

For Amelia.

Hand in hand, Aurora and Sebastian made their exit out of the great hall.

He did not need their validation.

‘Close the doors,’ he said roughly. Shutting out their eyes, eyes he did not want on him.

He wanted her eyes.

He wanted her.

Only her.

‘Aurora,’ he said as the oak-and-iron doors closed behind them, the staff disappearing behind black drapes and through a side door.

‘Why are we not in there?’ she husked. ‘You were amazing. Amelia…’

‘I do not need to be in there now. I said all that had to be said.’

She swallowed thickly. ‘She would be so proud of you.Iam proud of you.’ She smiled, but it quivered. Wavered.

He lifted his thumb to her lip, smoothed it across the plump softness. ‘Thank you,’ he said, because he knew this time, those two simple and unprofound words were enough. For her.

She kissed the tip of his thumb. Met his gaze and held it prisoner. And he was willing, he realised. A willing prisoner to her guard. He would be her captive. He would be with her. Always. Protect her with his name. His strength. The power she had unleashed within him to stand in front of them unashamed.

He dropped his thumb from her lip.

‘Come to bed with me, Aurora.’

‘Why?’ she asked, and still her lip quivered.

‘I want to take you to bed,’ he said. ‘I need to be with you. Naked. I want to hold you. Only you,’ he said roughly. His truth. His needs. His wants.

‘I was wrong,’ he admitted. ‘We have something special, Aurora. This, we, can work,’ he said, and the wordwedid not feel stolen. It was theirs to have. ‘We can be intimate. We can be friends. We can be lovers. Husband and wife. We can be a team and raise a family. The family we both want and never had before.’