Chatper 65

Chapter 65 BLAIRE Days had passed by so fast that I didn’t notice the time. The time I’ve spent with Sebastian has made me forget our differences, even for a while. There are times that I feel guilty, knowing that I’m here with him rather than with my son.

The thought of telling the truth about Blaze to Sebastian occasionally comes to mind. It’s tempting, but at the same time, it’s frightening. What if Sebastian decided to take away my child? I can’t fathom the thought of anyone taking my son away from me.

So despite my desire to introduce Blaze to his father, fear of what my son Sebastian might do still lingers inside my heart.

There’s only one day left until our agreement. Today is the last day that we’re going to pretend that everything is okay. Tomorrow, we’ll finally go our separate ways, as he promised.

As I finished fixing myself, I heard a soft knock coming from the door. I already knew it was Sebastian since he didn’t bother to wait for me to open the door after knocking.

“Are you done? Breakfast is ready,” he said as he picked his head in between the doors.

“Yes, I’m done.” I smiled as I turned to face him, turning away from the vanity mirror. I frowned when I noticed the dumbfounded look on his face as he stared at me. “Is everything okay?” I asked curiously.

“N–Nothing. You just look beautiful,” he stuttered as he was too stunned to speak.

I turned to the full–length mirror to see what he was fussing about. I was confused by his reaction, as I was deemed to be wearing a simple floral dress and light makeup. I’m not entirely sure what the reason is for him to be stunned.

I chuckled. “Are you sick? I didn’t even change anything,” I said.

“No. But there’s something about you that makes you more beautiful than you already are,” he replied, which even made my frown deeper. He then slowly took the distance between us before wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him. “Now, I know,” he said as our faces were inches away from each other. “It’s your smile. I forgot how beautiful you are when you smile. It’s the first time after so many years that I’ve seen you smile like this,” he explained.

My heart stopped for a second as I listened to what he was saying. My chest tightened as his eyes linger on my lips as if he were memorizing it.

“I’m willing to spend all my money up to it’s last cents just to see you smile like that every day,” he continued.

11 I was so lost for words that I couldn’t stand being under his lingering gaze any longer, so I tried to change the topic.

“Okay. That’s enough pleasantries for today. Why don’t we go ahead and eat our breakfast?” I suggested.

“I was actually thinking of having another meal for breakfast,” he replied with a playful grin on his face.

“Sebastian!” I scolded him as my eyes widened.

“Okay, okay,” he said, raising both of his arms as a sign of surrender. “Let’s go have our breakfast,” he agreed before leading me towards where our breakfast was prepared.

I hadn’t realized that I’ve been smiling genuinely these past few days that I’ve been spending time with him. It seems like I’ve done a pretty good job of pretending that he and I were okay. But the same goes with the guilt lingering inside me. The guilt of feeling genuine happiness while my son is alone is taken care of by somebody else.

But am I selfish if I’d like to take this opportunity to be happy just for a short period of time? Especially when I know that these feelings are temporary and that eventually I will have to face reality.

I took a deep breath, trying to forget the thoughts that were bothering me. One more day for myself, and after this, I’ll forget about all the feelings I have for Sebastian.

I forced a smile on my face as I followed him, hoping he wouldn’t get a hint of what was going on inside my head.

I was surprised to find a speedboat waiting for us on the shore. It seems like Sebastian prepared breakfast for us in the floating cabin. Among the beautiful things that can be found on this island, the floating cabin was my favorite. It’s the only thing that reminds me of what we used to have. That cabin was built in the hopes that Sebastian and I could have our happily ever after.

What we have right now might not be the result that we always wanted, but it is still nice to see things that remind you of that dream.

I was left in awe when we finally reached the cabin. It seems like Sebastian really took his time preparing these breakfasts for us.

Though I know for sure that he didn’t do all of these alone, I’m still speechless at how he deliberately made an effort to make this preparation possible.

The breakfast spread before me was a visual feast. A rustic wooden table adorned with delicately arranged dishes greeted my eyes. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, mingling with the tempting scent of warm pastries and savory delights.

Chapter 65 My gaze swept over the table, capturing the details of the carefully selected items. From the golden pancakes drizzled with syrup to the assortment of fresh fruits and artisanal cheeses, each element seemed to tell a story of thoughtful consideration. The tablecloth, adorned with wildflowers and a touch of rustic elegance, added a touch of charm to the overall setting.

“Sebastian...” I uttered his name as I couldn’t find the right words to stay.

“I wanted to prepare something special for you today. I hope I didn’t disappoint you,” he said.

“I love it, Sebastian. Thank you,” I replied.

He then smiled at me proudly, as if he were completely satisfied with what he had prepared for me. We took our seats and started having our breakfast.

Among those fancy meals that were served on the table, I noticed something that stood out among them. The other meals were prepared with exquisite and fine technique, but this one seems different. It’s simple, yet the plating looks like it’s trying hard to fit in.

I decided to give it a try first. Just as I was about to get it, Sebastian widens his eyes in surprise.

“That’s not part of the meal!” he said as he tried to get the plate of scrambled eggs from my hands.

He seems odd and suspicious, so instead of giving it to him, I quickly moved it away so he wouldn’t be able to reach it. “What’s going on?” I asked, raising my eyebrow.

“Nothing,” he denied as he continued trying to get the plate from my hand.

“Sebastian.” I called out his name with a warning tone.

He took a loud breath before he admitted the reason behind his suspicious action. “I tried to prepare all the meals for you, but I almost burned down the kitchen while cooking scrambled eggs. All the staff begged me to let them do their job. In the end, that’s all I managed to cook after burning at least two trays of eggs,” he explained. “It probably doesn’t taste nice, so let me save you from agony. The chef probably made a mistake serving that,” he said as he tried to get it away from me once again.

“Let me be the judge of that,” I said.

He eventually conceded and let me taste the scrambled egg that he had prepared for me. At first bite, my face immediately cramped as I tasted the egg that was as salty as the ocean we were currently in.

!

“How was it?” he asked, dying in anticipation.

I wanted to lie so he wouldn’t feel bad, but I don’t think my face right now will be able to hide the truth. “It tastes like the ocean,” I answered. “But hey, at least you tried. It’s the thought that counts, right?”

He chuckled as he looked more relieved than disappointed. “Thank you for being honest. I’d rather have your honesty than your half–baked compliment.”

Honest? I’m everything but that. Since we met again, I’ve never been honest with him. There’s a lot of stuff that I’ve been hiding from him. I swallowed the invisible lump in my throat. I just forced a smile on my face, trying to hide the guilt that’s eating me inside.

It seems like Sebastian didn’t notice anything as we silently continued our breakfast. After we’re done eating, we decide to go back to the main cabin as we plan what we’re going to do for the rest of the day.

Sebastian needs to do some work, so I ended up going back to our room alone. It hadn’t been long since I got inside the room when I heard a message notification from my phone. I checked my phone before I left it to see if everything was doing fine back at the hospital. But my heart started thumping so loudly as I picked out my phone from my bag.

My suspicions grew bigger when I saw a couple of missed calls coming from Sylvia. I didn’t bother reading the text message. My hands were shaking as I dialed Sylvia’s number.

I was pacing back and forth as I waited for her to answer my call. Every minute that passed was agonizingly painful. I was silently praying that nothing bad happened to my son.

After what seemed like an eternity, Sylvia finally answered the phone.

“Sylvia, what’s going on? Is everything alright?” I asked immediately, and she answered the call.

“Blaze had a seizure. The doctor’s needed to put him in the ICU, and he’s under observation,” Sylvia reported.

I feel like all the blood was drained from my body. I feel cold, and my throat feels dry. The guilt had fully consumed me. How can I stay here and be happy with Sebastian when my son is fighting for his life?

“Oh, my God! I’m a horrible mother,” I blurted out without realizing it.

“No, don’t say that. You’re nothing but a good mother, Blaire. You did everything you could to make Blaze’s life better, even when you’re doing it on your own. Forgive me if I indulge myself listening to Blaze say how he’s lucky to have you as his mother and him 4/6 ப tell me what you two have been through together. I have no idea what you’ve been up to, but I’m sure you have a good reason.

And even if you’re just doing this to have some time for yourself, no one has the right to call you a bad mother. You deserve a break. You deserve to be happy.”

Somehow, listening to those words brings comfort to my heart. I needed to hear that now. But despite all of that, I couldn’t fathom the thought of not being with Blaze right now. I left because I thought everything was fine, but now that complications have arisen, I need to be there.

“Thank you for everything, Sylvia. I’ll be there tonight. I promise,” I said before hanging up the phone. I can’t waste another minute. I need to leave now.

I rushed to where Sebastian was. I found him staring at his laptop, occupied with his work.

“I need to leave. I need to go back now,” I told him with much context. I can’t explain everything to him right now. All I want is to be with my son. I’ll think about what will happen next.

Sebastian frowned as he lifted his head toward me. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. You still owe me a day,” he replied with a serious tone. Gone is the sweet and caring Sebastian that I shared breakfast with.

“I don’t care about your day. I need to go back now,” I said firmly.

“You can’t just waltz in front of me and demand something. May I remind you’re the one who owes me a favor?”

you that I took a deep breath. I know he wouldn’t give in that easily. But if I have to beg just so I can convince him to go back, I’ll do it.

“Sebastian, please. I need to go back,” I pleaded.

He stared at me for a minute, as if contemplating whether he should give in or not. In the end, he just gave a deadpan look before he averted his eyes back to his laptop. “No, you’re not going anywhere. You’ll stay here, just like we agreed. If you’re really that desperate to go back, you’re free to swim in the ocean. It’s your choice,” he said without looking at me.

I clenched my jaw upon hearing his answer. He can’t trap me here. There’s nothing here that can stop me from going back to my son.

“Fine. I’d choose the latter,” I responded. I quickly walked towards the shore.

“Blaire, come back here!”

5/6 41 I heard him yelling loudly, getting more and more upset, but I didn’t turn around. I ju kept walking until I reached the water. When I got a few meters away from the shore, I started swimming.

The water felt cool. I moved my arms in a steady rhythm, trying to go as far as I could. As I swam farther, the yelling and commotion from the shore even got louder, but I didn’t care. I continued to move until my arms and legs got tired. I know I wouldn’t go too far in this situation. I just wanted to show Sebastian that I’m serious about leaving this island, regardless of the consequences.

But it hadn’t been long since I got in the water when I felt my legs stiffen. I felt an intense pain in my legs, causing them to slowly get numb. And before I know it, my head is sinking into the water. I tried to maintain my head above the water, but I was continuously failing. I’m already running out of breath when somebody grabs me from the waist and pulls me out of the water. He continued to pull me until we finally reached the shore.

“What the hell were you thinking, Blaire?!” Sebastian was scolded as he tried to catch his breath. “Are you trying to kill yourself?”

I coughed up some salt water that I ingested a while ago. I took a few deep breaths before I answered. “No, I was trying to leave.

And if killing myself is the way I can get out of this island, then I’ll do it over and over again in a heartbeat.”

I saw him clench his jaw as he glared at me intently. “You’re really that desperate to leave?” he asked.

“Yes,” I answered quickly.

His eyes darkened as his jaw tightened in anger. “Fine, we’re leaving. But I’m coming with you,” he said before lifting me from the sand.

“What?” I uttered it in horror.