By the time Lillian returned to the mansion, the sky outside had already darkened.
Rain still covered New York in a soft grey haze.
The drive home from Sovereign had been quiet.
Too quiet.
Even now, Chloe's words still lingered in the back of her mind.
"Sebastian Wolfe is painfully in love with you."
Lillian wanted to believe that completely.
Part of her already did.
Because Sebastian showed it constantly.
In every look.
Every touch.
Every quiet moment where he reached for her unconsciously.
But another part of her still kept returning to the same thought.
He never says it.
Lillian stepped through the front doors of the mansion and immediately handed her coat to one of the staff before walking further inside.
The house felt calm tonight.
Warm lighting.
Quiet halls.
Home.
Almost immediately, she found herself glancing toward the living room.
Looking for him without even thinking about it.
And there he was.
Sebastian sat on the large couch near the fireplace with a blanket loosely over him.
His laptop rested closed beside him instead of open for once.
A cup of untouched tea sat on the table nearby.
He looked up the second he heard her footsteps.
And immediately—
his expression softened.
It happened so naturally that most people probably wouldn't have noticed it.
But Lillian did.
Always.
The tension left his face instantly the moment he saw her.
"You're home," he said quietly.
Lillian's chest tightened faintly.
"Mm."
She walked toward him slowly.
Sebastian watched her the entire time.
Like he always did now.
Lillian stopped beside the couch and gently placed the back of her hand against his forehead automatically.
Sebastian leaned into the touch instinctively.
The movement was so unconscious it almost hurt her heart.
His fever was gone now.
Mostly.
"You're warm," she murmured softly.
"Not feverish warm."
Lillian smiled faintly.
"You sound very defensive for someone who's supposed to be resting."
Sebastian looked completely unashamed.
"I am resting."
"You're downstairs."
"I was waiting for you."
The words came so naturally from him that Lillian blinked slightly.
Sebastian frowned faintly when she didn't respond immediately.
"…What?"
"Nothing."
But something inside her chest ached quietly anyway.
Because there it was again.
That soft affection.
That openness he only gave her.
Everything except the actual words.
Lillian sat down beside him on the couch.
Immediately, Sebastian shifted closer.
Like it was automatic now.
His shoulder pressing lightly against hers beneath the blanket.
"Did you take your medication?" she asked.
"Yes."
"On time?"
A small pause.
Lillian gave him a look immediately.
"Sebastian."
"I took it slightly late."
"How late?"
"…An hour."
Lillian stared at him.
Sebastian looked away slightly.
Like he knew he was caught.
"You're impossible."
"You've said that several times this week."
"Because it's true."
A faint smile appeared on Sebastian's face.
Small.
Soft.
Real.
Lillian's heart squeezed painfully again.
Because moments like this made everything harder.
How was she supposed to doubt his feelings when he looked at her like that?
Sebastian suddenly reached for her hand quietly.
His fingers slid between hers naturally.
Comfortably.
Then he looked down at their hands for a moment before speaking softly.
"…I missed you today."
Lillian froze slightly.
Not visibly.
But internally.
Because there it was again.
Not:
I love you.
But still something tender enough to make her chest ache.
Lillian squeezed his hand gently.
"I was gone for a few hours."
"It was still quiet without you."
The honesty in his voice made something warm bloom painfully inside her.
Sebastian rarely filtered himself around her anymore.
Especially when tired.
And he looked tired now.
Still pale from being sick.
Still recovering.
Lillian reached up and brushed her fingers gently through his dark hair.
"You should be upstairs resting."
Sebastian leaned slightly into her hand again.
"I rested all day."
"That doesn't mean you're fully better."
"I'm better enough."
Lillian sighed softly.
"You're stubborn."
"You like that about me."
"…Sometimes."
That earned another faint smile from him.
Then silence settled softly between them.
Comfortable silence.
The kind that only existed between people deeply used to each other.
Rain tapped quietly against the windows.
The fire crackled softly nearby.
Sebastian's thumb moved slowly against the back of her hand absentmindedly.
Then after a while, he looked at her carefully.
"You're thinking too much."
Lillian blinked.
"What?"
"You get quiet when you're thinking too much."
Her chest tightened slightly.
Because Chloe had said almost the exact same thing earlier.
Lillian looked away briefly.
"I'm just tired."
Sebastian studied her quietly.
Like he knew immediately that wasn't fully true.
But instead of pushing—
he gently pulled her hand closer.
"You worked too hard today."
"So did you."
"I wasn't supposed to work."
"You still answered emails."
Sebastian looked entirely unapologetic.
"They were important."
Lillian gave him a flat look.
"You're lucky you're still recovering or I'd argue with you more."
"I'm deeply grateful for your mercy."
Despite herself, Lillian laughed quietly.
Sebastian's expression softened further hearing it.
Like even her laugh relaxed something inside him.
Then more quietly, he said:
"…Come upstairs with me."
Lillian looked at him.
"You're tired?"
Sebastian hesitated slightly before nodding once.
The exhaustion was more obvious now.
His breathing slightly heavier.
The lingering chest infection still draining him faster than usual.
Lillian immediately stood up.
"Okay."
Sebastian stood more slowly.
And for a second, she noticed slight dizziness hit him.
His hand instinctively catching the back of the couch.
Lillian moved closer immediately.
"Sebastian."
"I'm fine."
"You nearly fell over."
"I did not nearly fall over."
"You absolutely did."
Sebastian sighed quietly but allowed her to steady him anyway.
Together they slowly walked upstairs.
Once inside the bedroom, Sebastian sat on the edge of the bed while Lillian helped him take off the sweater he'd been wearing.
He looked exhausted now.
The kind of exhaustion that settled deep into the bones.
Lillian gently pushed his hair back from his forehead.
"You pushed yourself too much today."
"I sat on a couch."
"You sat downstairs waiting for me."
Sebastian looked at her quietly for a second.
Then admitted softly—
"…I don't sleep well when you're not here."
Lillian's chest tightened painfully again.
There it was.
Another almost confession.
Another vulnerable truth.
Everything except the words she secretly wanted.
Lillian gently cupped his cheek.
"I'm here now."
Sebastian closed his eyes briefly at her touch.
Then slowly lay down against the pillows.
Lillian moved to pull away for a second—
but Sebastian immediately reached for her hand again.
"Stay."
The word came quietly.
Almost tired.
Lillian softened immediately.
Without another word, she climbed carefully into bed beside him.
The second she settled down, Sebastian moved closer automatically.
Resting his head against her lap this time.
One arm loosely wrapping around her waist beneath the blankets.
Lillian looked down at him softly.
His eyes were already half closed.
Exhaustion finally catching up to him properly.
Her fingers slowly moved through his dark hair.
Sebastian relaxed further beneath her touch almost immediately.
The tension leaving his body little by little.
Then quietly—
half asleep already—
he spoke again.
"…Don't disappear."
Lillian's heart hurt.
Because he sounded so genuinely afraid of that possibility.
She gently stroked his hair again.
"I'm not going anywhere."
Sebastian relaxed completely after hearing that.
Trusting her instantly.
Completely.
Within minutes, his breathing slowed.
Evened out.
Asleep again.
Peaceful this time.
Lillian looked down at him silently for a long moment.
At the way he unconsciously held onto her even in sleep.
At the way he trusted her enough to rest like this.
At the way he loved her in every possible way except verbally.
Her fingers continued slowly moving through his hair.
And despite everything—
despite knowing how deeply he cared—
one quiet thought still lingered painfully in her chest.
I wish you would just say it.