The weight that had pressed on my chest for months had finally lifted, and I felt like I could finally breathe again. The city sprawled out before me, bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun. Everything outside was changing, but for the first time in so long, I felt like I wasn't being swept along by it.
Standing at the large window in the penthouse, I ran my fingers over the smooth surface of the glass, tracing the reflections of the skyline as my thoughts lingered on everything that had led me here. It had been a long, exhausting road. The lies, the betrayals, the countless nights when I barely slept, trying to figure out how to take back what was rightfully mine.
But now? It was over.
The business was ours again. I could finally look at the future without that ever-present knot in my stomach. My company, my name, my life—they were mine. The feeling of power, of control, was something I hadn't realized I'd lost until I got it back.
Beside me, Sebastian leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, eyes focused on the city beyond us. He hadn't said much since we got the news that everything was finally settled. He didn't need to. His presence was enough. His quiet confidence, the way he always seemed to have everything under control—it had been my anchor through all of this.
"It's hard to believe it's really over," I said, my voice breaking the comfortable silence between us.
Sebastian didn't look at me immediately, but I could feel his attention shift toward me. His gaze softened, like he was seeing me in a way he hadn't before. When he spoke, his voice was calm, steady, and full of something I wasn't sure I had expected.
"I always knew you could do it," he said, his words lingering in the air. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for."
His words hit me harder than I expected. There had been so many moments where I thought I was done—when everything seemed hopeless. But somehow, I'd kept going. And in the end, I had Sebastian by my side. He had never given up on me, even when I was ready to throw in the towel.
Turning my body slightly toward him, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "I couldn't have done it without you," I said, my voice softer than usual. "You were the one who really made it happen. You stood by me when everyone else turned away."
Sebastian finally turned his head to meet my eyes. His face was unreadable, but there was a quiet intensity in the way he looked at me. For a moment, I thought he might say something, but then he simply nodded. "You don't have to thank me, Lila. I did what I had to do. You did the hard part. You made the choices."
It was true. I had made the decisions. But the weight of those decisions had been too heavy for me to carry alone. He had been there when I needed him most.
"I just—" I started, but the words caught in my throat. How could I explain how much he meant to me now? How much has everything changed?
Instead, I let the silence speak for us. Slowly, I took a step closer to him, just enough so that we were standing side by side. I couldn't remember the last time we had stood like this—so close, yet so far apart. But now, everything feels different. Everything about this moment felt different.
He didn't pull away. His hand, resting at his side, flexed slightly, as if he was considering something. Then, slowly, his fingers brushed against mine. It was just a small touch—barely noticeable—but it was enough. My heart skipped a beat, and for the first time in a long time, I felt something real. Something that went beyond all the drama, all the schemes, and all the planning.
This—this was something that neither of us had expected.
I didn't pull away. Instead, I let him hold my hand, feeling the warmth of his fingers against mine. The city outside felt distant. At that moment, it was just the two of us.
"I don't know what's next," I said, my voice quiet. "But I know I want to do it with you."
Sebastian's gaze never left me, but there was a shift in his eyes. Something flickered there—something deeper than before. "I think that's the first thing we've agreed on without hesitation," he said with a small smile. "I'm glad you're saying it, because I wasn't sure if I was the only one feeling it."
It hit me then—the truth of it all. What started out as a business deal, a contract, had turned into something more. Something real. Something that neither of us had intended, but neither of us could deny anymore.
When we had first entered into this agreement, it was all about strategy. A simple way to take back what was ours. But now? Now, I could see it for what it really was. It wasn't just about the business. It wasn't about revenge or the contracts or the manipulation. It was about us—two people who had come together and found something unexpected in the process.
I had thought I was using him, and he had thought he was using me. But somewhere along the way, it had shifted. We had both given parts of ourselves we hadn't even realized we were holding back.
"I don't want to pretend anymore," I said, the words coming out before I could stop them. "This wasn't just a contract for me, Sebastian."
His eyes softened, and I could see the emotion in his expression. It was the first time I saw that side of him—the part of him that wasn't just the calculating businessman, the strategist who always had a plan. This was the man who had been there for me when I needed him most.
"I don't want to pretend either, Lila," he replied, his voice thick with something I couldn't quite place. "I didn't know when it happened. But I'm not going anywhere."
His words echoed in the quiet room, and in that moment, I knew. This wasn't just a marriage of convenience anymore. It had become something more. And I wasn't afraid of that.
I took a deep breath and squeezed his hand. "Then let's do it. Let's move forward—together."
He nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "Together."
For the first time in months, the future didn't seem so uncertain. It didn't seem like something I had to fight against. With Sebastian by my side, I felt like I could face whatever was next.
Everything I had been through—the betrayal, the heartbreak, the countless sleepless nights—it had all led me to this. I had my company back. I had my life back. And now, I had him.
I stepped closer to him, the warmth between us almost unbearable. My heart raced as he took another step toward me. And for the first time, I didn't feel the need to hold anything back.
With a deep breath, I let myself fall into him, our bodies pressed together as if we were the only two people in the world. He didn't pull away. He didn't hesitate. He simply held me, as if this moment was just as real for him as it was for me.
I closed my eyes, letting the feeling of his arms around me wash away everything else. The world outside, the challenges ahead, the enemies we had fought—they all faded into the background. All that mattered was this moment. And in this moment, I knew one thing for certain:
We had made it.
Together.
And we would continue to make it. Together.