Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at my best friends standing before me, their faces drained, as if they had been taken down from the cross. My heart ached with the heavy weight of what was about to happen — that from this moment on, they would no longer be within arm's reach. The countless kilometers between us would stretch like a vast, unbridgeable ocean, and our meetings would become rare, precious moments. The only comfort I had was that, in this digital age, instant messaging meant we could still speak every day.
But my heart hurt most for Lily. She was curled up against my leg, sobbing quietly, clutching me with a desperation that tore at my soul.
"Honey," I whispered, gently stroking her soft hair, "I promise Auntie will come to see you as often as possible. You'll always be first in my little heart."
She pulled back just enough to glare up at me indignantly. "You lie!" she shouted, her voice breaking. Then, fixing her gaze on Felix, she accused, "It's that uncle who's first in your heart now. That's why you're leaving!"
She was just a little girl, but her words cut through me sharply with the intelligence behind them.
I looked toward her parents, catching Mike's eyes. Despite his own sadness, he was laughing with me — a quiet, understanding laugh.
"Next time, just tell the truth, Selena," he said softly. "Our child senses everything; we don't have to explain for her to understand."
I crouched down to Lily's level, gently tucking the strands of hair behind her ears. "Sunshine," I said softly, "you're incredibly important to me and always will be. But I have to go with my uncle to protect him from Baba Yaga."
Lily's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and fear. "Auntie," she whispered, "I hope you'll protect uncle."
I lifted my gaze toward Eve, who was rolling her eyes, a mixture of impatience and sorrow flickering there. Felix stepped over to Mike and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"I'm glad to see you again after so many years," Felix said, his voice steady but warm. "I hope we'll keep in touch."
Mike nodded, eyes shining. "I never want to lose contact with you again."
My gaze shifted toward Lucas, who lingered at the back, his watch the only thing holding his attention, boredom evident in his eyes.
"We'll get back to you when we're there," I added softly.
I hugged everyone tightly, the warmth of their embrace mingling with the ache of goodbye. I kissed Lily's forehead, unable to hold back the tears that pricked at my eyes from her sorrowful expression.
Felix took my hand, his fingers intertwining with mine as we headed toward the helicopter that belonged to Lucas. He let us board first, then sat down beside us.
My heart hammered wildly in my chest—not from fear of the flight itself, but from the terror of stepping into a new life in a city I barely knew, one I hadn't truly explored beyond fleeting vacations.
Outside the window, the first delicate snowflakes began to fall, soft and silent. I caught the sight of my friends waving goodbye, their faces etched with sadness and hope. Felix squeezed my hand and smiled gently, his touch a comforting anchor in the storm of emotions.
"You can still change your mind, Selena," he whispered, though I felt the sharp glare Lucas sent my way.
I met Felix's eyes, steady and resolute. "I've already made up my mind. I want to be with you—no matter where."
He breathed out a sigh of relief, the tension visibly easing from his shoulders. I knew he had feared I might back out at the last moment.
But I knew exactly what I wanted. He was the one I needed by my side. I wanted to be his rock, to protect him, to help him live a normal life despite everything he had endured.
As the helicopter lifted off, Lucas spoke up. "You'll be going back to the best specialist in New York. Seems he was the one who handled you best."
A cold shiver of fear ran through me. Flying in a helicopter wasn't the same as being on a plane—it felt more fragile, more terrifying.
Felix answered calmly, "Not just him. Living in New York made me happier. I just lacked someone then—someone who could be the reason I could finally enjoy life."
I smiled at him, my heart finally settling, content that everything was moving in the right direction.
*
It wasn't until I stepped inside Lucas' New York residence that I truly felt like a character in a movie. The grand entrance was guarded by his men—stern, tightly wound men who seemed perpetually burdened by their duties. Among them, I immediately recognized Sebastian, Lucas' right-hand man, whom I had seen in Los Angeles not long ago.
No doubt, Sebastian had been summoned back to New York earlier by Lucas' orders, which explained why, after that awkward encounter with Eve, I had never crossed paths with him again.
"Boss, everything is ready. The house is spotless, and a warm dinner's waiting for you," Sebastian reported, his voice low but respectful.
I raised an eyebrow at him, noticing the lingering tension in his posture. After having failed Lucas before and receiving his harsh punishment, it was clear Sebastian still feared him deeply.
A brief, genuine smile flickered on Sebastian's face when Lucas strode past and casually placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"You did a good job," Lucas said, his tone unusually approving.
As we followed Lucas deeper into the house, I was surprised when Felix stopped beside Sebastian.
"Don't even think about looking at Selena," Lucas warned sharply. "I still remember how you liked her back in the day."
Felix looked confused, clearly caught off guard by Lucas' comment.
"I wouldn't dare," Sebastian replied quickly, eyes darting away. "We're just old classmates."
I rolled my eyes, knowing Lucas was teasing, but Sebastian took it seriously and blushed like a schoolboy.
Crossing into the dining room, we were greeted by the rich, mouthwatering aroma of food—prepared by Lucas' personal chef. The luxuriousness of it all was like stepping into a different world altogether.
Sebastian took a seat with us, and I was so hungry that I wanted to devour everything laid out before me.
"Coming back here already makes me feel better," Felix admitted, his voice tinged with relief. "I have too many bad memories tied to Los Angeles."
Lucas nodded in agreement.
"That's exactly why I wanted you here," he said quietly. "After dinner, let's go to the beach. But in the evening, I have a backlog of work to catch up on from my absence in New York."
I had to admit something to myself. Lucas was cold and distant on the surface, but once you peeled back those layers and got to know him, his true nature became clearer. He wasn't easy to open up or love, but when he cared about someone, he would move mountains for them. Felix was living proof of that. As his brother and the only family he had left, Lucas would do anything to protect him.
A few months ago, I might not have believed this. But now, seeing how Lucas had re-entered Felix's life and helped him find a semblance of normalcy, I was grateful. While I had doubted and made mistakes, Lucas had persevered, fighting beside Felix without hesitation.
Now, I understood perfectly why Lucas had hated me so much and tried to push me away from Felix's life.
Sometimes, the first impression of a person could be the most deceiving of all.
*
It was wonderful that Lucas' residence was right on the beach. I had never even dreamed of such a place, not in my wildest dreams, and yet here I was—standing beside the love of my life, feeling like it was all somehow real.
Though it was only three degrees Celsius, and the cold wind bit sharply at my face, I was happy. I eagerly dialed my friends' number for a video call, desperate to connect with them and share this moment. The first face I saw on the screen was Mike's, pulling silly faces at me.
"I'm jealous, my best friend!" he shouted. "You actually live by the ocean?"
"By the ocean?" Eve appeared behind him, Lily cradled in her arms. "Luck has finally smiled on you, Selena!"
"Not luck," Mike muttered to Lucas, who stood quietly beside me. "Just her."
Felix stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder.
"We hope you'll visit us soon," he said softly.
Eve's eyes lit up with joy.
"Really? So not just Mike, but you'll invite me too? Felix, you've really changed. You used to hate me so much," she said sweetly.
"Now you're quite tolerable," he replied dryly.
"So, are you going to get married on the beach? That would be a beautiful celebration!" Eve teased.
On camera, I saw Felix furrow his brows.
"First, I have to recover and deserve it. Selena's husband has to be a wonderful man—because she's the most wonderful girl under the sun."
I smiled broadly at the camera, warmth filling me.
"See, Mike? Why don't you flatter me like that? Am I not the most incredible woman under the sun?" Eve turned to her partner.
Mike shook his head with a smirk. "You've got too much going on up there—you're growing horns. So, it's hard to call myself the greatest woman under the sun."
For a moment, my face drained of color—did Mike know about Eve's recent sin? But then he burst out laughing, and relief washed over me. He was only joking.
"You're the most unbelievable woman under the sun. Second only to my unbelievable daughter," he added, kissing Lily's forehead.
"Who would have thought my best friend from high school would call this crazy woman the greatest woman under the sun?" Felix commented, amused.
"Uncle, why do you talk so ugly about my mom?" Lily said defensively. She was small but sharp. "Don't say that, or Baba Yaga will find you!"
"What Baba Yaga?" Felix asked, amusement in his voice. I blushed.
"What did you tell her, Selena?" he grinned.
"I had to think of something to explain why I'm leaving with you to another city," I whispered, though the truth was there—the real Baba Yaga was his mother.
"We're heading out to Mike's parents' now, but we'll call you tonight and chat, okay?" Eve offered.
"You bet! Can't wait to hear from you. Sending kisses!" I blew a kiss to the camera, then ended the call.
I glanced toward Lucas, standing silently beside Sebastian, gazing out at the restless ocean.
He looked deep in thought.
Then my attention snapped to a woman striding toward us with fierce determination. Even though the sand made every step difficult, she radiated such raw charisma that I stared at her in awe—until it hit me: it was a woman I knew.
How had she found us here?
"Did you tell Hannah where we live?" I asked Felix.
"No. Why would I? I don't interfere with what happens between her and Lucas."
"Lucas wouldn't tell her in real life, would he?"
"No way. He likes to play games with women. He wouldn't just hand it over on a silver platter."
I tilted my head and looked at Sebastian, who swallowed nervously, his eyes sharp with interest.
I thought I already knew the answer.
"What is that crazy woman doing here? Who told her?" Lucas shouted as Hannah stood before him, grinning like she'd won.
"Thanks, Sebastian, for being so helpful," she said with mock sweetness to her former classmate.
Lucas took a deep breath and fixed his piercing gaze on Sebastian.
"Did you do something behind my back again, you damned snot?" he demanded.
Sebastian shrank back like a scolded puppy.
"Sorry, I owed Hannah a favor after I got her involved in Felix's escape attempt."
"In that case, pack your things and go live in the ocean, because to me, you're now a dead fish," Lucas announced, then tried to walk away.
But Hannah wasn't finished. She grabbed his arm, furious.
"I told you I would fight for you. Since you seduced me, now you have to take responsibility."
"I didn't seduce you, crazy girl—I just kidnapped you for my own purposes," Lucas snapped, voice cold. "You're also a dead fish to me. So you can live in the ocean with Sebastian, because you're not getting in this house."
Lucas pulled free and returned inside, leaving me to approach Hannah and the trembling Sebastian.
"He only pretends to be angry," I said softly to Hannah. "He'll get over it soon. You know you're his favorite."
"And he likes you," I added, looking directly at Hannah.
"She might've caught the boss's eye," Sebastian muttered, "but I'm screwed. I'm the dead fish who'll end up in the ocean."