#52 Don't lose hope

At that moment, everything felt surreal. Sebastian was losing so much blood despite my poor attempt to stall what I thought was inevitable. Liliana was inside a house with a crazy woman, and I couldn't help her.
I didn't know who needed my help most…
My eyes snapped back to the house, but the door was closed, and no sound could be heard. Could this be the calm before the storm?
I couldn't leave Sebastian and ran to save Lily. The man was hurt because of me. Maybe Lily was safe, and Janine really didn't mean to hurt her.
But I couldn't deal with the whole situation alone. I needed help, and I cursed myself for acting so reckless before. I silently prayed for Nick and the police to arrive on time.
"Sebastian, stay with me. You can't die, not before you meet your daughter," I muttered and looked back at his handsome face.
"I love you, Evelyn, you know that…" Sebastian's voice was weak and fragile.
A heartrending pain pierced my body, and a few stray tears rolled down my cheeks.
"I love you, too, so much," I whispered and leaned forward to peck his lips.
I felt him smile against my lips. "I must get shot more often if that's what it takes to taste one more kiss from your lips," Sebastian whispered. His grey eyes bored into my light blue ones with so much affection, leaving me breathless.
"Oh, Sebastian... I'm so sorry for everything," I stuttered in between my sobs.
"It's okay, my love. I know you want to save Lily, and so do I. I wanted to protect both of you," he replied, coughing a bit.
Sirens were heard from afar, and my heart skipped a beat.
"They're coming, Sebastian. Nick and an ambulance are coming! Stay with me," I told him, feeling a spark of hope blooming inside my chest.
Sebastian slowly nodded and gazed at my face before questioning, "Will you forgive me?"
I bit my lower lip and let out a shaky breath. "I have forgiven you long ago, but only now I realized that, Sebastian. So, don't you dare die on me, okay?" I replied while hot tears ran down my cheeks.
Sebastian gave me a sincere grin. He looked happy and tired at the same time. On the other hand, I was so afraid of what was coming...
The sirens were louder and louder until two police cars, an ambulance, and Nick's vehicle stopped right in front of the house.
"They're here. Just stay with me a while longer, okay?" I whispered to him and pecked his lips one more time.
And then everything happened in a blur. The paramedics rushed to Sebastian's side, pulling me out of the way. Nick came to me and wrapped his jacket around my shoulders. He tried to see whether I was hurt, but I was just covered in his brother's blood.
The youngest Leclair brother kept asking me what happened. I couldn't make my mouth cooperate and reply to him, though. My eyes flickered between Sebastian, who was taken away with, and the house where the policemen had barged into.
This was all my fault. Liliana was kidnaped because I failed to protect her. Sebastian was shot because I thought I was smart enough to win that wicked woman. My love was hurt because of me.
"This is all my fault. I couldn't shut up. Janine was angry… She shot me, but Sebastian got in the way…" I blurted out eventually.
Nick's head snapped towards me. A mix of anger, sadness, and pain flashed in his brownish eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Nick…" I exclaimed and burst into tears.
Nickolas heaved a sigh and wrapped his arms around me. "I thought I married the most stubborn woman in the whole world, but you're on a level of your own, Evelyn. I told you to wait and not to play the heroes. We were coming right behind you…" he scolded me.
"She wasn't going to give Lily back. She said this was payback because I killed Liv…"
Nickolas cursed under his breath and tightened his grip around me. "Let's just hope nothing else would go wrong from now on, okay?" he muttered and patted my back soothingly.
I nodded and watched the ambulance leaving with Sebastian inside.
"Your brother. You should go to him…" I breathed out.
"And leave you here alone? Well, he's going to kill me once he finds out, and I certainly don't have a death wish…"
How could he find the courage to make jokes in such a cruel time? I doubt whether I could ever understand Nick's weird sense of humor.
"What if…" I stammered, but the rest of my phrase died in my throat.
"He will not. Sebastian just got you and Lily back. He won't ever let you go from now on," Nick reassured me and pecked my forehead.
Yells, cries, and a loud noise came from inside the house, making my breath hitched at the back of my throat. My feet moved by their own accord towards the house, but Nick's tight grip stopped me from taking another step.
"Lily! Where's Lily?" I asked incoherently, struggling to break free of Nick's grasp.
"It's dangerous to go in there, Evelyn. Just let the police handle this, darling."
"I want my daughter back…" I mumbled and kept repeating Lily's name like a prayer.
Nick held me close, and we just looked at the front door, holding our breaths. After some torturing moments, we saw detective Sanchez coming outside holding Lily in his arms. My poor baby was crying inconsolably, but she stopped once she sensed my presence.
"Mommy! I want my mommy!" Lily yelled and fought to get free from the detective's arms.
Both me and Nick ran towards their side, and the detective handed Lily over to me once we reached them.
"Lily, are you okay, baby girl?" I asked her, taking her in my arms. I searched her petite body for any sign of injury and then peppered kisses all over her face.
"I'm okay, mommy. I missed you…" the little girl said, sniffing her nose.
"I missed you, too, baby girl. Mommy loves you so much…" I muttered and kissed her hair lovingly.
"Will we go home now, mommy?"
"We have to stay here for a few more days, sweetie. Is that okay?" I asked her, tilting my head to the side to look at her cute face.
I couldn't take my eyes off her face. It was insane how much I've missed her, and I swore to myself never to leave her again...
"Oh, uncle Nick is here!" Lily exclaimed when her eyes landed on Nick.
Nickolas opened his arms, and Lily happily went to him. Her uncle threw her in the air and twirled her around, making her laugh happily.
"Mommy, where is uncle O?" Lily asked once Nick secured her in his arms.
"He's back home, waiting for us."
Lily nodded, but I could see the tiny frown on her forehead.
"He's okay now, Lily. These bad men hurt him a bit, but he will be okay," I told her.
Lily gave me a toothy smile and rested her head on Nick's shoulder.
However, I had to ask her another question, even though the police would do the same later.
"Lily, did these men hurt you?"
Lily tilted her head to the side and looked at me uncertainly. "They gave me cookies, but I wanted mommy," my baby girl replied.
"Did they harm you?" I asked once again.
Lily shook her head. "They know Papa and Nana. Nana Jani was with me. But I want you and uncle O," Lily said and became teary once again.
"It's okay, sweetie. You're safe now. I won't leave you ever again, I promise," I consoled her, kissing her cheek.
"They probably drugged her, Evelyn," Nickolas whispered to me.
"Can we prove that? The drugs must have left her system by now, Nick…"
"I'll ask for a proper examination once we reach the hospital where Sebastian's admitted, okay?"
I simply nodded and thanked him quietly.
"Mommy, are you hurt?" suddenly Lily asked me, and her blue eyes welled up with unshed tears.
I looked at her and then glanced at my hands. I was covered with Sebastian's blood. Thankfully Nick had given me his jacket because my clothes were in a worse state.
"Oh, my, Nick! We must clean ourselves up, and I need to…" I trailed off, but my mind suddenly went blank.
What should I do? Sebastian was dying because of me. But my heart was lighter because Lily was safe and within my arm's reach.
"It's okay, darling. I'll take care of everything," I heard Nickolas saying.
"Mommy, are you okay?" Lily's worried voice brought me back to reality.
"I'm okay, darling. Your father saved me. Your father saved you. He's our prince charming. I want you to remember that," I said, hiding my hands behind my back.
"Daddy? Is he back? Where is daddy?" Lily asked and looked around her, searching for her father.
"Daddy had to take care of one last thing. He will be back to you very soon, okay?" I replied and grinned at her.
My baby girl smiled brightly and clapped his tiny palms together. She looked happy and unharmed. It seemed like this wicked woman had at least treated Lily the right way.
When Janine understood the extent of the situation, she tried to run out of the house in a desperate attempt to escape the consequences. At last, the policemen managed to catch her and take her to the police station for interrogation.
Nickolas led Lily to his car while one of the detectives came to take my statement. I gave detective Sanchez a brief but detailed report of everything that occurred. The detective tried to focus only on the main events and not stall me since Lily was waiting for me.
Detective Sanchez said the necessary procedures would follow and that Janine couldn't harm us anymore. They still had to find the men who had burst into my house back in Greece. Janine would undoubtedly reveal their identities eventually.
Another ambulance arrived, and the paramedics gave Lily a quick check-up. After they examined me, too, we were good to go to the hospital and finally see how Sebastian was doing.
"You have a child car seat!" I exclaimed, surprised.
Nickolas shrugged and secured Lily in her seat. "Yes, Sophie insisted on placing one in the car because she thought you'd, at last, come for the wedding. It was so difficult to put this thing together, and I was bored to get it out. So, I just let it be."
"Well, we indeed get to use it," I replied and got in the passenger's seat.
Nickolas gave Lily some water and cookies Sophie had baked, and then he started driving.
"Aren't we going to the local hospital?" I questioned once I noticed that we were heading back on the road we came a few hours earlier.
"No, Sebastian is transported back to New York with one of the company's choppers," Nick informed me.
It was incredible how fast Nickolas had managed to make all this happen. Well, his brother's life was at stake, so it was the least he could have done…
"Is he okay?" I asked in a small voice.
"Yes, the doctors here made a quick damage control, but he needs surgery asap."
"He will be fine. He must be fine," I muttered and turned to look at my baby girl.
Lily was rubbing her eyes, and she looked tired. All this must have stressed her a lot…
"Do you want to take a nap, sweetie?"
Lily gave us a nod and closed her eyes. "I love you, mommy," she muttered before she drifted off into a sweet slumber.
A small smile spread on my lips, and my eyes burned with unshed tears. I was lucky to have Lily back, yet I was so worried about Sebastian.
My thoughts were back to the man who had hurt me, yet I couldn't stop loving. Lily and Sebastian were my whole life, and now I know I couldn't live without them. I thought I'd die if something was to happen to my baby girl. Yet, seeing Sebastian injured on the ground almost killed me once again.
The trip back passed by in a blur. Clara told us that Sebastian was in critical condition inside the operation room. I silently prayed he'd survive because otherwise, I'd never forgive myself…
Once we reached the hospital, Nickolas took Lily for another series of tests. I ran to the waiting area outside the operation room to find Sebastian's parents and Sophie pacing back and forth impatiently. My best friend hugged me tightly, and they asked me to tell them what happened.
I briefly narrated the events, not hiding the fact Sebastian was in such a state because he saved my life. However, they didn't yell at me nor got mad as I'd anticipated. Clara just gave me a hug, and Austin, Sebastian's father, patted my back comfortingly.
After that, Sophie and Austin left to find Nickolas and Lily, leaving me with Clara.
Sebastian's mother sat next to me and gave me a concerned look. "How are you doing, darling?" she questioned in a soft voice.
"Aren't you angry with me, Clara? Your son is in the OR because of me, and you're worried about me?" I replied, looking at her with confusion.
"I'm mostly responsible for this mess, Evelyn. Janine found out about Lily because of me. Besides, I'm also a mother, and I'd have done the same thing for my boys. Well, most probably, I'd have knocked this bitch out. You were very polite," Clara said, leaving me speechless.
The woman gave me a comforting smile and continued talking, "Sebastian would rather die than see you or Lily hurt. He'd have done everything to protect you because he loves you so much. I'm not angry because I know my son all too well. I'm sad and disappointed with how stubborn you two are."
She was right, and I knew it, but I was afraid to admit it. "Clara, I…"
"You did what you thought was right about Lily and you. My son has been a first-class jerk with you. But I've never seen him so in love ever again. Not even when he was with Olivia. You're the first woman who accompanied him to a formal event after Liv died. He abandoned his job and went on a two-week trip with you in Greece…"
"It was a business trip," I interjected her.
"Was it? Sebastian needed max three days to handle that deal, and we both know it. So, what were you doing in Greece for two weeks?" Clara asked with a raised eyebrow.
The blush that crept on my cheeks was the answer she was looking for.
"Not to mention he agreed on that fake engagement party easier than you may think," she told me with a lopsided grin.
"I thought you had practically forced us to attend that party…" I whispered, looking at her with wide eyes.
"No one can force Sebastian on doing anything. I know my son, Evelyn. His feelings for you are way stronger than the ones he once had for Olivia. I saw that back then, and that's why I tried to talk you into marrying him. Anyway, I just hope you're ready to forgive him now and live happily with him…" Clara said and gave me a tight hug.
It's cruel and ironic that you understand how much you love someone only when you almost lose him.
I came to realize I had misjudged him for all these years. Sebastian almost sacrificed his life to save me, and I'd do the same if needed for him. He loved me more than himself, and that was the unconditional and selfless love I was seeking all along.
Sebastian stayed away from his daughter and me for three whole years as a punishment for what he'd done to me. He forced himself to live in misery because he had broken my heart repeatedly. He chose not to be a part of our lives because that was his way to prove his love and affection for Lily and me.
On the other hand, I was afraid to go through the same torture once again. I was too stubborn to admit my mistake and ran back to Sebastian's arms. And when I finally dared to come back, I accused him of something he'd have never done, and I almost killed him with my arrogance.
I didn't deserve his love and forgiveness when I've also hurt him so many times…
Yet here I was craving my happily ever after with my possessive, ruthless billionaire who almost died to save my life…