Thea’s POV
1 took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm before responding. This was a situation I’d never imagined I’d find myself in. Elizabeth had never liked me, and I completely understood her perspective. In her eyes, I was the one who made her son lose the woman he loved and live in a painful marriage for so many years. Her cold attitude toward me had been justified.
The silence between us stretched heavy and uncomfortable. I didn’t know how to navigate this situation. Part of me just wanted her to say whatever she needed to say so I could finally relax.
“I don’t want to seem rude,” I began, “but is there something specific you needed to discuss with me privately?”
She took a deep breath. “Yes. First, I want to apologize for everything that’s happened over the years. You shouldn’t have had to endure our contempt, and you absolutely
shouldn’t have suffered the pain we caused you.”
“None of that matters anymore. It’s all in the past,” I immediately interrupted. The last thing I wanted was to reopen old wounds in this moment. I was truly tired of it all. There was no point in crying over what had already happened–none of us could go back and change anything. What was happening right now, beyond my control, was far more
important.
Then why can’t you try to let go and move forward? Diana asked in my mind.
“No, it does matter,” Elizabeth exhaled. “I believe part of the reason you’re unwilling to forgive Sebastian is because of what we did to you.”
At the mention of Sebastian’s name, my heart skipped a beat.
“Sebastian?”
“Yes, he’s the other reason I came here.”
I sighed. I should have seen this coming.
1/2
Chapter 313
“I see.”
“I don’t think you do,” she said softly. “You haven’t seen what Sebastian’s been like this past week. He’s been a complete mess without you. He truly loves you, and now he thinks he might have lost you forever. That realization has drained the life from him. We only get reactions from him when it concerns you, Leo, or Phoenix.”
Hearing this caused me pain. I really hadn’t expected my leaving to affect him this way. In my mind, I rationally knew that yes, he did love me, but for his life to stop just because I left? Wasn’t that a bit excessive?
As for myself… at this point, I couldn’t lie to myself anymore. I was still in love with him too. Even after everything that had happened, I fucking still loved him, but I just didn’t
know…
“Elizabeth…” I started to speak, but she interrupted me.
“We were wrong, Thea. All of us were wrong, and I believe it was precisely because everyone held onto what might have happened between Sebastian and Aurora for so many years that made it difficult for them to move forward. Looking back now, I can see it clearly. You were all just children then. If we had let go, they would have let go too and moved on. We held tightly to the past, so they did the same, which led to Sebastian hurting you so deeply,” she paused, then continued.
“I’m not making excuses for his behavior, but I also hope you can understand that his actions were very likely a direct result of our behavior as parents.”
I understood her words, but that didn’t explain his later behavior. Yes, we were young when we married, but we both grew up. His actions and cruel behavior continued for seven years, and even recently when I had amnesia, he was still trying to influence and control my choices in ways I hated. That’s what I still couldn’t get over.
