I blinked at him, disbelief written across my face. Almost twenty years older than me, yet he had so much—and yet gave it away. My mind struggled to comprehend it. I had spent my life careful with every penny, every purchase, every effort—and he… just gave something worth millions away?
He showed me around town. People greeted him warmly, and he even called a few by name. A few days of sun, simple moments of normal life. We stayed in a hotel, and the bed… the bed was amazingly good. I hadn't felt comfort like that in years.
Memories bubbled to the surface—the lies my ex told about public transport, the hours I had trudged in rain to reach a dentist, the way he had kept me trapped and small. Anger flared, mingled with self-blame. How stupid I had been. How I had let them control me.
But beneath the shame and guilt, a tinge of fire began to rise inside me. A tinge of anger, yes, but also determination. This—this life I was glimpsing now—it could be mine. I would not be small again.
As we drove, Sebastian stopped the car in almost every village. People recognized him immediately, greeting him warmly. He shook hands, laughed, and listened. He had built roofs for them, helped them find work, even helped some move to other countries. With a few, he shared memories, joked, and laughed as if they were old friends. I watched quietly from the passenger seat, amazed at the life he had touched.
Finally, as the car moved again, he glanced at me with a gentle smile. "Aria… I will take you to see the world. You will see more than you ever imagined. You've been locked away for years, but now… I will show you everything."
I couldn't believe it. The words felt almost impossible, yet the warmth in his gaze made them real. My chest swelled with something I hadn't felt in ages—hope, freedom, possibility. For the first time in years, I felt… amazing.
As we returned to our small cottage, Sebastian turned to me, his eyes steady and serious. "Aria… I will teach you how to live. I will teach you to be strong. So strong that even when I am gone, you will be an independent, powerful woman. A woman who can stand on her own."
I blinked, my mind reeling. "Can… can I even be that?" I whispered, doubt heavy in my voice.
"Just listen to me and learn," he said firmly. "Stop dreaming and drowning in what happened. You have to start living, right now."
I felt a shiver run through me—not from fear, but from the weight and possibility of his words. Could I really become someone unshakable, someone who could face the world and survive? For the first time in a long time, I wanted to try.
I knew I needed it—his guidance, his push, his unwavering belief in me—but my body and mind felt weak. My chest tightened, my hands shook slightly, and doubt lingered like a shadow.
We sat together, talking quietly. I shared my ideas, my dreams, the things I thought I could do if I ever found the strength. He listened, nodding at first, then shook his head slightly.
"No, Aria," he said, his voice firm but calm. "This isn't enough. You're thinking too small. You need to open your mind. Not someday, not maybe—you must believe that you are already that woman. Strong, independent, unstoppable. Believe it 100%. Stop doubting yourself."
I swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in. It was terrifying, but at the same time… liberating. Could I actually see myself as someone powerful, unshakable, capable of everything I had only dreamed about? For the first time, a spark flickered deep inside me, telling me: maybe I could.
A few days later, Sebastian insisted I get up with him. At first, my legs protested, trembling and weak, but he guided me carefully, steadying me with his hands. We stepped outside, the air crisp, and began walking toward the forest near the cottage.
As we moved slowly along the winding paths, he talked. His life unfolded like a movie I couldn't take my eyes off. He spoke of the business he built as a young adult, the struggles he overcame, the mistakes and triumphs, the accident that left its mark, and his family—both the love and the losses.
I listened, captivated. Every story seemed larger than life, yet grounded in truth. Here was a man who had risen from challenges I couldn't even imagine, carving out a life on his own terms. And now… he was walking beside me, guiding me, teaching me that I too could rise, that I could be more than I had ever allowed myself to believe.
With every step, I felt something shift. My legs grew a little stronger, my back a little less heavy, and my heart… lighter. It was terrifying, yes, but exhilarating too. Maybe, just maybe, I could become the woman he said I already was.
As we walked, I tried to focus on the trees, the sunlight filtering through the leaves, the smell of damp earth. But flashes of the past kept creeping in—my ex's angry face, the laughter of my family when I begged for mercy, my trembling hands that couldn't hold a cup without spilling. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to breathe.
Sebastian noticed, of course. He slowed and glanced at me, his eyes soft but piercing. "Aria… I see it. The fear, the pain. You don't need to hide it from me."
I shook my head, embarrassed. "It's… nothing. Just old memories."
"Old?" he repeated gently. "It's still alive inside you. And that's okay. But you can't let it control you."
I swallowed hard, trying to nod. The memories weren't just old—they were chains. He stopped walking and turned to face me. "You will learn to walk through the fire without burning. Step by step, Aria. One step at a time."
I looked down at my feet, my weak legs carrying me through the forest, and realized he was right. I was moving. I was alive. And for the first time, it felt like I had someone guiding me—not controlling me, not judging me, just… showing me I could be strong.
He began talking about his own struggles again—how he had felt powerless after his accident, how he had faced betrayal, loss, and fear—and yet had kept moving forward. Every story, every detail, became a lesson I could cling to. Not revenge. Not aggression. Survival. Strength. Independence.
By the time we returned to the cottage, my body was exhausted, but my mind was buzzing. I had faced memories that would have stopped me before, yet here I was, walking, breathing, surviving. He smiled at me, and I realized it wasn't a look of pride—it was a challenge. A challenge to myself.
"You did well today," he said quietly. "Tomorrow, we walk further. And I'll teach you to stand taller, think clearer, and fight smarter. Are you ready, Aria?"
I hesitated, but then I nodded. I had no choice. Not if I wanted to take my life back, to reclaim myself, to become the woman he said I already was.
Sebastian didn't say much at first, just looked at me with that piercing gaze that seemed to see straight into my chest, into the trembling part of me I didn't even allow myself to feel. "Aria," he said finally, voice firm, "you can't let them get away with this. Not for them, not for you. You will tell the police. I will be here, but this is your moment."
I shook my head. "I… I can't. I just want to forget it. Forgetting is easier."
"No," he said, stepping closer. "You can't. Not yet. You need to face it. Feel it. Speak it. You survived. Now make them accountable."
My hands started shaking. My chest felt tight. I felt sick at the thought of opening my mouth and saying the words out loud. But… he didn't leave me. He guided me to the car, his hand firm but gentle on my back. On the way, he kept talking—not about revenge, not about anger—but about courage, about claiming my life back.
When we arrived at the station, the fluorescent lights and the hum of computers made me flinch. My stomach twisted. My legs felt like they might give out. But he squeezed my shoulder. "Step inside, Aria. One step at a time."
Inside, the officer glanced at me, and I froze. All the fear, all the shame, all the pain I had buried for years surged forward. I wanted to run. To hide. To pretend nothing had happened. But then I felt his presence beside me, steady, reassuring.
I took a shaky breath. And I started.
"I… I lived with my ex… my family… and they… they hurt me…" The words stumbled out. Tears poured down my cheeks, and I couldn't stop them. My voice trembled, breaking in places. The officer asked questions, and I answered, sometimes barely audible. But I kept going. Piece by piece, memory by memory.
The story I had buried, that I had tried to forget, came spilling out. I saw his reactions—the seriousness in his eyes, the way he leaned forward to write everything down, the quiet respect in his tone. I felt a strange relief begin to rise inside me.
For the first time, I realized that speaking it aloud didn't destroy me. It didn't make me weak. It made me… alive. And when I finally finished, my body trembling and raw, Sebastian's hand on mine said more than words ever could: "You did it. You faced it. And you are stronger for it."