Celeste’s POV
I stood by the window, staring out at the garden below. My parents were with Sebastian, their body language tense even though their smiles were still plastered on. Sebastian stood tall, his posture calm and unbothered as always. But there was something about the way he spoke—controlled, deliberate—that made me pause.
He wasn’t just talking to them. He was defending me.
Again.
I could read it in the atmosphere. For a moment, I felt the strangest sense of relief. But it didn’t last long.
What was I doing? Hiding up here, letting Sebastian deal with everyone while I stayed out of sight? How long could I keep running like this? From the reporters, my parents, Edlyn… even Sebastian?
My hands tightened around the edge of the window frame. Was I really going to let him take th
