Page 11 of Sebastian.

I can’t help the tears forming at the corner of my eyes, and pointing a finger at him, I shout, “You are a fucking monster!” I’m so angry and so hurt that I can’t control my volume. “After everything I've done for you, for our family…” I shake my head.

Sebastian's eyes narrow, his face contorting. “I'm not the one who shattered your trust," he fires back, his words biting. “But you did. That letter revealed your true nature, your deceit.”

Andries stands awkwardly in front of us, and sensing the escalating tension between his dad and me, he interjects, “Mom, the ceremony is about to begin. I’m just going to leave the two of you alone…don’t take too long.”

“Andries—” I try to call when he passes by us in direction to the door, but Sebastian growls a firm,

“Don’t, Julia.”

I feel like the floor is falling out from underneath me. How has all of this gone so wrong, so quickly? As Andries leaves, I'm left standing with my heart pounding and my mind swirling furiously with all the thoughts that I can’t shut out. The realization hits me like a tidal wave—Sebastian’s true intentions were to divulge that secret to Andries, to turn him against me. That’s why he came. Not to see his son be married, not to be with me during this milestone with our oldest child. Certainly not to mend the wounds that we have given one another.

No, Sebastian came all the way here with my mother, just to cut me down and poison my son’s previous allegiance with me.

“All I wanted was for you to be present at your own son's wedding,” I tell him, now that it’s just the two of us.

Sebastian's smug demeanor remains firmly in place as he retorts, “A selfish wish, perhaps. Even our son agrees.”

I feel the weight of his words, the sting of his accusations. It’s as if he has rewritten our history, turning me into the villain and himself into the victim. But I know the truth. I have seen the obsession that consumed him, the plotting and scheming with Karl against Roxanne. His allegiance was with Karl, not with our family—and it still is. I can see that now.

“Are you planning to go back and support Karl now?” I question, incredulous, as I cross my arms in displeasure. “Is it where your loyalty lies? With a man who sought to destroy us?”

Sebastian's expression remains unchanged, his stoicism lingering like a poisonous cloud. “In just five minutes, I managed to reconcile with our son.” His words, delivered with such arrogance and superiority, make me huff in response. “He understands my perspective and respects it. It's truly remarkable that my own wife cannot seem to comprehend that.”

“He reconciled with you because you only gave him half truths. I’m sure you didn’t tell Andries the part where you worked with Karl to try and take down Roxanne and her business. Maybe his opinion would be different if he knew that. Yet, I didn’t throw you under the bus, did I?” Sebastian is silent, so I push on. “Do you know why I kept quiet? Because I’m not lying about my fucking intentions, Seb! I want us to be a united front. A whole family.”

“Can you blame me, though? I never wanted Karl’s whore to marry our son,” Sebastian sneers, his words dripping with disdain. “I've made that clear to you time and time again. But no, you can't sympathize with my perspective, can you? Poor Julia, left to face the wedding alone. What a tragedy.”

“I've had enough of your games.” My voice is filled with exhaustion, and I start pacing around the room, distancing myself from him as I process my thoughts. Then turning to face him, I say, “You’ve made our lives a living hell, both mine and Elise’s. She calls me constantly, in tears, to tell me about your scheming. Your selfishness and obsession have torn this family apart.”

Sebastian persists, his words full of a self-assured arrogance. “I'm sure Elise would be just as understanding as her brother if she knew the truth. See, Julia? Icanstand my ground, say my piece, and turn the kids to my side if I want to. Just like you love to do.”

Silence hangs in the air as I contemplate his words, my mind racing with conflicting emotions. So he knows how to manipulate the narrative—that’s nothing new. He’s just never leveraged that particular talent against me, his own wife, before.

“Is that what it has come to?” I finally respond, feeling resigned to my husband remaining so hateful. “Turning our children against each other, using them as pawns in your game? Is that the kind of father you want to be?”

Sebastian's eyes meet mine, a flicker of uncertainty briefly crossing his face. The battle lines are drawn, and I refuse to back down. This is no longer about appearances or saving face. It's about the very essence of our family, the bonds that should hold us together. I take a deep breath, summoning the courage to speak my truth. It's time to reclaim my voice. Only then can we begin to heal and rebuild what has been broken.

“Your pride is blinding you, Seb.” My words echo across the room and my husband stands still on the other side of the billiard table, his expression just as guarded as before. I hope he can hear the love that still burns in my heart for him. For a brilliant second, I think he might crack. But no…Seb is just as firm as ever.

“I'm afraid your letter pulled the blindfold off for me.” His tone isn’t even angry or loud, just sad, tired and disappointed. He’s hurt, but more than that, he’s still bitter, and that’s much harder to overcome. He rakes his hand through his hair, blowing out a breath and looking away from my face for the first time in a while. “Julia…I’m done here. I’ve said my piece.”

As Sebastian makes his way to the door, ready to leave the billiard room and our conversation, I feel a surge of urgency. I need him to understand the gravity of the situation, the potential danger lurking in the shadows.

“Wait! Gabi is here,” I interject, reaching out to halt his departure. “She's asking what to do about Karl. He's now their suspect number one.”

My husband stops in his tracks, thrown off the sudden change of subject. Sebastian's frustration is palpable, his body tense with the weight of conflicting loyalties.

“What do you expect me to say here, Julia? You know I promised my dad before his death to watch out for Karl.”

“I know that,” I reply, my tone softened by empathy. “But we can't ignore the evidence, Seb. If Karl is truly involved—”

“Why are you asking me what to do? You know what to do!” Sebastian interrupts, frustrated. The tension between us hangs heavily in the air, thick with unspoken grievances and unresolved conflicts. This push and pull is a familiar dance, a struggle for dominance in our fractured relationship. “Tell her that—”

Before he can say anything else, Stuart, the ever-faithful butler, glides into the room, his presence a welcome distraction from the intensity of our exchange.

“Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Van den Bosch,” Stuart announces, his tone always so prim and proper. “The ceremony is about to start. We kindly request your presence.”

I nod my appreciation to Stuart, silently grateful for his impeccable timing. The butler departs, leaving Sebastian and I alone again. The fire of the moment is lost after the interruption, and now things just feel…off.

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