Page 81 of Sebastian.

A surge of fear courses through me at the mere thought of facing Karl in a courtroom battle. His cunning and vindictive nature are like ticking time bombs. “If we do that, Karl is going to exact revenge on me,” I interject, my voice laced with unease. “Or worse, on all of us. We know what he is capable of. And the media frenzy….” I shake my head.

Despite my visible objection, Gabi remains steadfast. “He will be kept in custody. He won't go anywhere. But I think he's far too dangerous for him to receive a temporary prison sentence. This evidence demonstrates that he is a criminal mastermind, capable of orchestrating a murder while maintaining a facade of normalcy. I mean, for God’s sake, he was hunting with you, withloaded rifles, at your uncle’s estate, knowing that your car was rigged to explode minutes after it was started. We’re lucky he didn’t also organize a last minute hunting accident. The man is a monster.”

“I'm acutely aware of the potential pitfalls that lie ahead, but a trial will take far too long,” I assert, knowing all too well the months this trial will take for him to be convicted. “The lawyer he’s hired is a shark, and it’s not worth the risk. We should aim for a settlement that aims for a long prison time.”

Gabi taps her finger on her lips as she thinks, drawing her eyebrows together. Finally, she suggests, “I'll drop the charges related to the cabaret scandal and we'll focus solely on the murder case to make sure the trial starts as soon as possible. How does that sound?”

My apprehension deepens, knowing she’s so damn focused going for a trial. Of course, a public trial will give her all the accolades that she dreams of. Being publicly recognized as the prosecutor who finally brought justice to a criminal case thought as unsolvable would be a huge boost in her career. Unfortunately, publicity is the last thing I want.

“But the media will discover that he's my half-brother if we do that. I can't let that happen. Everything we do needs to be kept private.”

Julia, her thoughtful gaze piercing through the tension, offers a compromise. "What if we negotiate for a thirty-year prison sentence with probation and home detention? That way, we ensure he never poses a threat to society again.”

Gabi’s eyes go down to the table as she ponders her options, and while it’s obvious she would rather drag Karl to court and expose to the media and the whole country all the evidence they’ve gathered against him, I think she knows better.

“Gabi,” Julia sighs, exhausted but determined to see this through. “You know just as well as I do how agonizing the court process can be. We need to strike a deal with him now.”

“I guess I’m just confused…” She looks between Julia and I, and I have a feeling she knows we’re still holding hands under the table. “I thought that you wanted justice for your family’s deaths, but now you’re fine letting him just settle for a shorter sentence and not face a proper trial and public humiliation? This is the biggest case of the decade.”

Exhaling slowly, I explain, “A trial will take months, and it won’t bring my family back; a settlement ensuring he goes to jail is good for us.”

With that, Gabi finally seems to concede, despite the disappointment plastered on her face. “Alright,” she says, her commitment unwavering, “I will see what I can do.”

Julia and I seem to exhale collectively as Gabi's decision settles in.

“Thank you for everything,” I tell the prosecutor, standing to embrace her, sinking all the gratitude that I can muster into my words. “You’ve saved me, Gabi.”

I feel her shoulder shake as she chuckles. “Just doing my job, Sebastian. And like I said before, thank your wife. We both know that I started digging into this for her.”

Once everything is said and done, Julia and I leave the meeting room, and I take the chance to hold her hand again, reveling in the feeling of being joined to her and the way it centers me. Julia, though, senses the turmoil churning within me, and gently asks, “How are you doing after all of that, Seb?”

I open up to her, revealing the depths of my turmoil. “I always thought Margaret would have been the one behind the murder of my mom and siblings, not the man I so cherished and protected until a few weeks ago,” I confess, feeling the crushing weight of betrayal pressing down upon me. “Don’t hate me, Jules, but I was so sure it was your mother. All the signs pointed to her, with our tumultuous courtship that was happening at the same time. Now I just feel like an asshole for having thought that for so long when she’s been innocent…” I pause, letting the reality wash over me. “Innocent of those murders, at least. I don’t doubt that your mother has committed one or two in her life.”

Julia watches me, her face brightening as she listens. She can see how profoundly this revelation has shaken me to my core, and with genuine concern, she offers her support.

“Sebastian,” she begins softly, her hand still in mine, “do you want me to come home with you? We can talk about all of this together.”

I feel a deep sense of peace at that thought, and agree readily. “I would love that.” Leaning forward, I press a gentle kiss to her forehead, my voice filled with sincerity. “Thank you for being here with me, Julia. You have no idea how important this is to me. How importantyouare to me.”

She responds with a hint of playfulness, a fleeting tease to break up the tension and closes the small gap between us, her lips softly whispering. “This time, I'm just staying for a few hours, not for the night.”

I can't help but smile at her quip. “It's your home too. Why wouldn’t you stay?”

“Because we are still separated,” she points out, a touch of realism squeezing my heart.

“Well, technically, there’s no rule saying you can’t stay over even if we are separated.” I can’t help the smile forming at the corner of my lips, and Julia sees it.

“Shush, you!” She nudges me in return, her eyes drawn together in a frown. “I’ll stay for dinner at the most, but that’s it.”

After everything that we’ve just found out, I don’t want to spend the night alone. But for now, I’ll let her think she’s won. “Fine, fine, as you wish.”

25

Julia

I wake with a start,disoriented by my unfamiliar surroundings. The soft morning light filters through the curtains, casting a warm glow on the room. The muffled sound of a ringing phone pierces the stillness, and for a brief moment, I struggle to identify the source—then it hits me. It's not my phone; it's Sebastian's.

Sebastian’s phone? Why would his phone be in my room…oh. Oh no. Not again. A rush of mortification washes over me as I realize where I am––once again, in the guest bedroom of the house that was once ours…well, technically, still is. How did I end up here, tangled in sheets, sharing the same space with him once more? I had vowed to maintain some distance, to give us both time to heal. Yet, here I am, caught up in bed with him, once more.

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