Page 193 of The Bittersweet Bond

She suddenly stopped, turning to face him fully. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Her tone was cool, almost provoking.

Bas hesitated for a second, letting her words linger in the air before he took a step closer. “It means I’m wondering why Rafael thinks he’s the one who can give you that distraction.”

The quiet, ironic laugh she let out hit him harder than it should have.

“Oh, I see. This is jealousy, isn’t it?” She raised an eyebrow, amusement coloring her voice, but there was something else beneath it—something raw. “Because Rafael… what? Because he’s nice to me? Because he doesn’t treat me like some puzzle he wants to solve but never has the patience to finish?”

Ouch.

Her words cut deeper than he wanted to admit.

Bas pulled his lips into a thin smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Maybe.” He left the answer hanging for a moment before adding, “Or maybe I’m just wondering why you share things with him.”

Her eyes softened for a brief second, and for a moment, he thought he saw a crack in her walls.

“Maybe,” she said quietly, “because you never ask what I want.” She took a step back, her voice turning sharper. “You just decide. You make choices for me. Or maybe—because you left me waiting on our first Valentine’s Day.”

The truth in her words hit him like a punch to the gut.

His hands slipped out of his pockets, falling to his sides, and for a moment, he looked down, exhaling.

I never meant to hurt her.

"Maybe you're right," he finally admitted, his voice quiet but firm. "Maybe I'm the kind of guy who… just acts." His gaze returned to her, searching for hers without forcing it.

"Evin..."

"Sebastian."

"Do you want me to give you more space?"

The surprise flickered across her face, even as she tried to hide it. Her lips parted as if to say something, but she closed them again. Finally, she gave a small shake of her head, her shoulders dropping slightly.

"More space? What are you going to do, leave the country?" she asked, her gaze burning into his skin.

For a moment, she wanted to fire off another sharp remark, but she held herself back, inhaled deeply, and exhaled before speaking again—this time, with raw honesty.

"No, I don’t want more space! I just want you to… be here. Don't make decisions for me, just... be here."

Bas nodded slowly, letting her words settle in. They felt heavier than they sounded, yet they gave him something to hold onto—some kind of direction.

"Okay," he finally said.

A single word that meant everything and nothing at the same time. He still didn’t know how to do that when she kept pushing him away, but now wasn’t the time for that discussion.

As they walked along the pier, side by side, without another word, the distance between them felt smaller. The cool breeze played with her hair, and though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, something had shifted. It wasn’t a victory, not a clear step forward.

But it was something—a beginning, maybe.

__________

Evin

Parked outside her house, Evin couldn’t bring herself to get out. Milka had been occupied with Bellamy, leaving her and Bas alone with the unspoken tension between them. The steady hum of the engine cut through the silence, a constant reminder of everything left unsaid.

She watched Bas. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw clenched—a telltale sign of his inner struggle. Finally, he broke the silence.

"There are places beyond this darkness," he said, his voice steady but quiet. "Places that don’t feel like a prison, but like an escape."

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