SCARRED HEARTS

CHAPTER 17: BREAKING POINT

Lila sat in the corner of the dimly lit bar, her fingers wrapped around a glass of wine that she wasn't really drinking. She could feel the hum of the city outside, the chatter of people all around her, but none of it was real. The laughter, the conversations, they all felt distant—like she was trapped in some kind of bubble. Her mind kept drifting back to Sebastian, and no matter how hard she tried to push him away, his presence lingered. His voice, his touch, the way he looked at her like he could see straight through all her carefully constructed layers.

Maggie was talking to her, but Lila wasn't listening. Her thoughts were elsewhere, the memory of Sebastian's touch still burning against her skin.

"I'm sorry, what?" Lila snapped, snapping out of her daze. She hadn't heard Maggie's last few words.

Maggie gave her a skeptical look, her brow furrowing. "You're not even paying attention, Lila. Are you okay?"

Lila forced a smile, setting her glass down on the table. "Yeah, just... tired," she said, the lie slipping easily off her tongue.

Maggie didn't seem convinced but let it go, turning back to her phone. Lila's eyes flickered toward the door, a familiar sense of unease swirling in her stomach. She knew Sebastian wouldn't just let her walk away without a fight. He had already made it clear that he wasn't going anywhere, that he wasn't going to let her hide from him.

The thought of him stirred something deep inside her. She hadn't realized how much she wanted to be close to him until she'd pushed him away. Now, the pull between them felt unbearable. It was as if the universe was conspiring to keep her tangled up in his world, and despite all her warnings to herself, she was dangerously close to giving in.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm the racing thoughts in her head, when a shadow fell across the table.

Looking up, her heart lurched when she saw him standing there—Sebastian. His sharp, confident presence filled the space, and for a moment, the bar felt suffocating.

"What are you doing here?" Lila's voice was colder than she intended. She wasn't sure if she wanted him to stay or leave, but she certainly hadn't expected him to show up here, not now.

Sebastian didn't answer immediately. Instead, his gaze flicked between her and Maggie, his expression unreadable. Maggie raised an eyebrow at him, clearly surprised by his sudden appearance, but Lila saw the way his eyes softened as they landed on her.

"I came to see you," he said simply, his voice calm but firm. He didn't seem bothered by her cold reception. "I think we need to talk."

Lila clenched her jaw, the last thing she wanted right now was a confrontation, especially here, in front of Maggie. She shot a quick look at her friend, but Maggie didn't seem fazed by Sebastian's presence. In fact, Lila could swear there was a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

"You need to stop doing this," Lila said, standing up abruptly, trying to put some space between them. "You can't just show up wherever I am and expect me to drop everything. I'm not some project you can fix."

Sebastian's jaw tightened, but his expression didn't change. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small envelope, placing it on the table between them. "I'm not trying to fix you, Lila," he said softly. "But I'm not going anywhere. And I'm not letting you shut me out either."

Lila looked down at the envelope, her curiosity getting the better of her despite herself. "What's this?" she asked, her voice strained.

"A letter," he said, his tone holding a quiet finality. "From someone who wants to explain things. It's from your mother."

Lila froze, her heart skipping a beat. She hadn't heard from her mother in years. The woman who had hurt her, abandoned her, leaving her to fend for herself. The woman who had been the source of so many of her scars—physically and emotionally. She never wanted to hear from her mother again. Not after everything.

"You didn't—" Lila started, but her voice caught in her throat.

"I didn't open it," Sebastian interrupted, his eyes locking onto hers. "But I thought you should decide what to do with it. You deserve to know what's inside."

Her stomach churned, a mixture of anger and dread rising inside her. She didn't want this. She didn't want to face the past, especially not now, with everything else already weighing her down.

Maggie, sensing the tension, stood up and walked toward the bar, leaving them alone.

The air between Lila and Sebastian thickened as she stared at the envelope. She didn't know what to do, how to process the emotions that were flooding through her. Why now? she thought. Why did this have to happen now?

Sebastian didn't rush her. He stood there, watching her, waiting.

"I don't want to open it," Lila said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hands were shaking, but she kept them clenched at her sides. "I don't want anything to do with her. Not anymore."

Sebastian's voice softened, his eyes filled with something like understanding. "You don't have to do anything you're not ready for," he said gently. "But it's your choice, Lila. You can hold onto the past, or you can face it. But you don't have to do it alone."

Lila swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to escape. She wanted to push him away, to tell him to leave, to tell him that she was fine. But the truth was, she wasn't fine. And she hadn't been for a long time.

"I don't know how to let go," she said, the words slipping out before she could stop them. "I don't know how to move on from everything that's happened."

Sebastian stepped closer to her, his expression softening. He didn't say anything for a moment, but the way he looked at her—so intensely, so steadily—made her feel like maybe, just maybe, there was hope.

"You don't have to do it all at once," he said softly. "But I'm not going anywhere, Lila. Not until you're ready."

Lila's heart ached with the weight of his words, the raw sincerity in his voice. She didn't know if she could ever let him in fully, but she could feel the pull between them growing stronger with every passing second. She didn't know what was going to happen next, but for the first time in a long time, she was beginning to feel like maybe she didn't have to face it all alone.

Without thinking, she reached out and took the envelope from the table, her fingers brushing against his for just a moment. It was the smallest of touches, but it sent a jolt through her. And as their eyes met again, the air between them thickened, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the space between them.

Lila knew she had a choice to make. And no matter how much she wanted to run, a part of her was starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, she could take a chance on him. On them.