Those last words seemed like the final blow. Sebastian slowly raised his head, and the rigidity of his face crumbled, replaced by an expression of profound resignation and maturity. He looked at my stomach and then met my gaze, nodding slowly.
“All right,” he said with a heavy sigh. “You’re right. Tell Marcus to get the car ready. We’ll go this afternoon.”
***
The drive to Istanbul’s old quarter was silent. When the car stopped in front of the familiar facade of Mr. Aslan’s house, my stomach lurched. I knew Malik was usually there at that time, reviewing some of the rare editions he shared with the old man.
As we got out, Sebastian walked beside me, but this time his steps weren’t imposing or threatening. When I pushed open the front door, the chime of the entryway announced our arriva
