Page 126 of Wild Tangled Hearts

“Bella, this is Dr. Jasna Loncar,” he says, introducing her with a hint of hesitation in his voice.

Doctor?

The woman nods at me, then says to Sebastian, “It’s important you see your regular physician when you get home.”

He runs his palm over the back of his neck. “I will. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

What the hell is going on?

Dr. Loncar gives me a polite smile and heads down the hallway, leaving us alone. The tension in the air is palpable as we step into the suite.

I need distance, and I find refuge on the couch, pulling my knees to my chest.

Sebastian stands, watching me, then he sighs heavily and takes a seat beside me, his voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t want to lose you.”

Still unable to comprehend the situation, I rub my temples. “No more lies, Sebastian. Tell me the truth. All of it. Why was she here?”

“Dr. Loncar is a pulmonologist. My oxygen levels were low this morning, and I was worried about a chest infection.”

The confusion inside me swirls with anger and relief. I had jumped to conclusions, assuming the worst. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why the secrecy?”

He rubs his temples, his voice strained. “Because I’m a selfish asshole, Bella. Or a fucking coward. I didn’t want you to see me like this.”

“Like what?”

“Weak.”

He’s anything but weak. He’s the most powerful person I’ve ever known. Yet, in this vulnerable moment, it’s as if he’s bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“I don’t understand any of this,” I admit. “People get sick. It’s a part of life. You don’t need to hide it from me.”

Sebastian sighs heavily, his gaze fixed on the floor, then he mutters a curse and roughly drags his fingers over his face. “I’m not just sick, Bella.”

“What do you mean?” I ask cautiously, my stomach twisting.

“Shit...” He pinches the bridge of his nose and mutters a string of curses.

“You’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”

His gaze finds mine, and when he reaches for my hand, I don’t pull back

“Tell me,” I say softly.

“You have every right to be angry with me.” His fingers squeeze mine, and he leans in, eyes pleading. “I’ll understand if this is too much for you. And maybe it’s not fair for me to even ask you to stay, but I love you, Bella. So fucking much, it hurts…”

His voice breaks, and I can see the torment etched in the lines of his face. The vulnerability he’s revealing leaves me speechless, torn between my desire for honesty and the fear of what that truth might be.

But one thing is clear — no matter what he’s about to confess, his love for me is undeniable.

“I never thought I’d have this,” he continues, his words spilling out from the depths of his soul. “Never wanted to love someone, knowing...Fuck.”

“Whatever it is,” I say, moving closer. “We’ll face it together.”

The way he looks at me, I can tell he doesn’t seem certain, as if he’s gauging my reaction. But then he takes a deep breath and continues, “Remember how I told you CF is genetic?”

I nod slowly, my stomach twisting. “Yes.”

“There’s a fifty-fifty chance for siblings to get it when the parents are both carriers. Tobias and I both drew an unlucky hand.”

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