Chapter 72
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Zurich | Limmatquai Promenade | Old Town Café
Past Noon (CET)
Zurich’s cold air carried the smell of roasted chestnuts and river wind as Ash, Vex, and Sebastian walked the length of Limmatquai. Snow dusted the cobblestones, crunching under their boots.
Ash was the first to break the companionable silence.
“So… anyone else notice our fearless trio have been… different lately?”
Vex grinned without looking over. “Define different. You mean how Lucian doesn’t glare as much when Eli’s in the room? Or how Kristina’s been smiling like someone just told her a secret she’s not allowed to repeat?”
Ash smirked. “Both. And also how Eli—Mr. Polished Cool—suddenly can’t stop looking at her when he thinks no one’s watching.”
Sebastian, walking a step behind, said nothing.
They crossed the Münsterbrücke, the water below reflecting the pale winter sky. On the other side, Vex spotted a small café tucked between two shops. “Coffee?”
“Coffee,” Ash agreed.
Inside, warmth and the scent of cinnamon wrapped around them. They claimed a corner table, shedding gloves and scarves. Ash stirred sugar into his coffee with deliberate slowness.
“Okay, hear me out—” he began.
“No,” Sebastian said, without looking up from his cup.
Ash blinked. “I didn’t even say anything yet.”
“You were going to make it sound like a romance novel,” Sebastian replied.
Ash rolled his eyes. “Fine. But something’s brewing. You can’t tell me it’s just business trips and convenient hotel suites.”
Vex leaned back. “And you think it’s your job to figure it out?”
“No,” Ash said. “But it’s fun.”
Sebastian finally looked at them. “Whatever it is… it’s theirs. They’ll handle it. Or they won’t. Either way, not our field.”
For a moment, the table was quiet except for the soft clink of cutlery.
Vex broke the pause with a grin. “Still, I give it a week before one of them does something that makes the rest of us pretend we didn’t see it.”
Ash smirked. “Optimistic. I give it three days.”
Sebastian shook his head, though the faintest curve touched his mouth. “You two need better hobbies.”
Outside, snow began again—light, unhurried flakes drifting past the window. Inside, their laughter blended with the low hum of the café, the unspoken truth settling between them: some things didn’t need to be spelled out to be understood.
Zurich | Rosengarten Park
Afternoon (CET)
They had moved on from the café to a park not far from the old quarter, the kind of place where locals walked slowly and the air smelled faintly of roasted chestnuts. The winter sun was pale but persistent, spilling over the frozen grass in thin sheets of light.
Ash and Vex had claimed a bench like it was their throne, a paper bag of pastries between them, bantering freely.
“You can’t technically call it coffee if it’s half cream,” Vex said.
“It’s called balance, my friend. My taste buds are cultured.” Ash took a dramatic bite of his croissant, scattering flakes onto his jacket.
“That’s not cultured. That’s cowardice in a cup.”
“Tell that to my heart, still beating after your sludge from this morning.”
Sebastian stood a few steps away, hands in his coat pockets, his breath a steady cloud in the air. Their banter filtered through, but not enough to break the thread of his thoughts. They’d been swirling in his head since Zurich started to feel… different.
Kristina had always been a constant. Steady. Precise. The kind of person who didn’t just walk into a room—she calculated it, owned it, and walked out without a single detail out of place. But lately…
He thought about how Kristina had confronted Lina during that meeting—relentless, focused, her every movement radiating controlled fury. Lina had fled, and Kristina had pursued without hesitation. Sebastian hadn’t seen the fight itself, but he felt the heat of her anger—the rigid set of her shoulders, the sharp flare of her eyes, the way the air around her seemed to crackle.
And then there was the dynamic that worried him most.
Lucian had always been in her orbit. Everyone knew there was history there, something unspoken but undeniable. Now Eli was in the mix, too. One shared suite. A trip just for the three of them. Even her smallest shifts—quicker to laugh one minute, quicker to anger the next—were enough to make him uneasy.
Ash’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Seb! You listening, or are you communing with the snow?”
Sebastian gave a small shake of his head. “Just thinking.”
“That’s dangerous,” Vex muttered with a smirk, earning a shove from Ash.
Sebastian didn’t rise to it. His eyes drifted toward the lake in the distance, still and silver under the sun. Whatever was happening between Kristina, Lucian, and Eli—it was theirs to handle. But that didn’t stop him from worrying.
Because the Kristina he knew always played by her own rules. And lately, it felt like she was breaking them.
Sebastian pulled his coat tighter around himself, though the cold wasn’t really bothering him. His thoughts were heavier than the winter air. He couldn’t shake the image of Kristina’s intensity, the way she moved when something—or someone—crossed her. It was the same intensity he’d seen before, sharpened now, more personal.
He watched Ash and Vex laughing on the bench, tossing crumbs at each other like children. Their noise should have been enough to pull him out of his spiral, but it wasn’t. He felt a distance he hadn’t before, as if the world had tilted slightly and he was standing just a step outside the orbit of whatever was pulling Kristina, Lucian, and Eli together.
He thought about Lucian, too. Calm, controlled, but not untouched. He could see the way Lucian’s eyes lingered on Kristina when he thought no one was watching—and how Eli’s attention followed her as closely. Sebastian had seen it enough to know it wasn’t casual. Not with her. Not ever.
A pang of frustration hit him. He wanted to step in, to do something—anything—to protect her from the weight he could feel pressing down on her. But he knew better. Kristina didn’t need protecting in the usual sense. She never had. What she carried… it was hers alone, and any attempt to share it, even from someone who cared as much as he did, might only make it heavier.
Still, he couldn’t help himself. He let his eyes roam over the park, imagining her there—walking, moving, calculating every step, every angle, every possible outcome. He hated that he couldn’t reach her, couldn’t ease the storm he knew was raging inside her.
Ash and Vex were still talking, still laughing, but Sebastian felt the weight settle deeper in his chest. He pushed his hands into his pockets and exhaled slowly. Whatever was coming next, he would watch. He would wait. And when the time came… he would be ready.
But for now, all he could do was keep his distance and hope she didn’t have to carry it all alone.
Zurich | Hotel Belvedere | Sebastian’s Suite
Late Afternoon (CET)
Sebastian entered his suite, the quiet of the room a sharp contrast to the bustling promenade outside. He shrugged off his coat and gloves, letting the warmth of the radiator seep into his chilled shoulders. The soft hum of the city below was distant, almost comforting, as he sank into the leather armchair by the window.
His phone buzzed on the side table. The caller ID made him pause—Maxim Thorne. He checked the time. It was 7:15 a.m. PST. Early, but not unreasonably so for Maxim.
“Sebastian,” he answered, voice low, wary.
“Morning,” Maxim’s voice came through, crisp and direct despite the early hour. “I trust Zurich is treating you well?”
“Quiet enough,” Sebastian replied, leaning back. “Though I’d hardly call the past couple of days restful.”
There was a pause, and then Maxim’s tone shifted slightly, sharper, with that familiar edge of concern he always carried when speaking about business—or people he cared about.
“I wanted to check in. Kristina. Eli. Lucian. How are things on your end?”
Sebastian exhaled slowly. “Complicated. They’re… navigating it in their own way. I’m keeping an eye from a distance. Nothing more.”
“Good,” Maxim said. “I don’t need you stepping into their decisions, Seb. But I do want you alert. There’s a lot moving, and the last thing we need is for anyone to get caught off guard. That includes Kristina.”
Sebastian’s jaw tightened. “I know. Always.”
“Trust your instincts. And don’t underestimate the weight she’s carrying, even if she’s hiding it well. I’ve seen her shoulders bear a lot… and I know she doesn’t like to ask for help.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Sebastian said, glancing at the window. The lake below shimmered under the pale winter light, and he imagined Kristina somewhere in the city, moving, thinking, fighting her own battles.
Maxim’s voice softened slightly. “You’ve always known how to be there without being in the way. Don’t lose that.”
Sebastian nodded, though Maxim couldn’t see it. “Understood.”
The line went quiet as Maxim ended the call. Sebastian set the phone down and stared at it for a moment. Zurich was almost seven thousand miles from California, but the connection—through worry, loyalty, and unspoken understanding—felt immediate.
He let the silence settle, letting the city and the quiet of his suite be his companion. Outside, the light continued to shift over the rooftops, and somewhere beyond the streets and the snow, Kristina was moving through the weight she had chosen to carry alone.
Zurich | Hotel Belvedere | Restaurant
Evening (CET)
The warm glow of the restaurant wrapped around them, a quiet contrast to the chill outside. Sebastian sat across from Ash and Vex, fork poised over his plate but not really eating. His thoughts were elsewhere, tangled and persistent.
Ash leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching him with an expression that mixed amusement and impatience. Vex, equally impatient, finally broke the silence.
“Okay, Seb, come on—spill it out,” Vex said suddenly, sharp and teasing.
Sebastian looked up, caught off guard. He hesitated, weighing whether he should speak.
Ash jumped in before he could answer. “It’s about Kristina, Eli, and Lucian, isn’t it?”
Sebastian sighed, a long, measured exhale. “You know me too well.”
Ash grinned. “Come on, I mean… we know. Okay? We’re just quiet about it, but we know what’s happening.”
Sebastian nodded. “Yeah. I know you know. It’s just I don’t know what to think.”
Vex’s eyes drifted to the flickering candle. “They’re grown-ups. And we all know Kristina. Strong as her facade is, something’s bothering her. But my gut says she’s handling it—working through it in her own way.”
Sebastian nodded slowly. “Yeah. That’s Kristina. Always two steps ahead, even when the rest of us don’t see the game.”
Vex smirked. “Yeah. And the rest of us just sit here, guessing. Classic.”
Sebastian allowed himself a small, reluctant smile. Even surrounded by warmth and soft chatter, he couldn’t shake the pull of concern—but he trusted her. And sometimes, that had to be enough.
Sebastian pushed his plate slightly away, more out of habit than hunger. Ash and Vex were clearly enjoying the moment, their eyes flicking between him and the empty chairs across the table.
“So, Seb,” Ash said, leaning forward, a mischievous gleam in his eye, “how long have you been sitting there, brooding, thinking you’re some mysterious brooding hero?”
Vex laughed, reaching over to nudge Sebastian’s shoulder. “Seriously. We can see the gears turning. And trust me, you’re terrible at hiding it.”
Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose, trying not to smile. “It’s not brooding. It’s… observation.”
“Observation,” Ash repeated, mock-sounding deep and serious. “Right. Observing what? The Great Zurich Love Triangle?”
Vex leaned back, folding her arms. “Come on, I know you know. You’re just scared to say it out loud.”
Sebastian hesitated. His eyes drifted to the window, the last light of day glinting off the snow-dusted streets. “I… I don’t know what I’m supposed to say. They’re adults. They’ll make their own decisions. And Kristina… she’s not someone you push. She carries her burdens her way. Always has.”
Ash and Vex exchanged a look. “Yeah, we get it,” Ash said finally, softer now. “But that doesn’t mean you have to be so serious all the time. Look at you—silent, thinking, planning… like she needs saving.”
“I just want to make sure she’s okay,” Sebastian admitted quietly, voice barely above the clink of cutlery and soft chatter around them.
Vex smiled, more gentle now. “We all do. And we all know she’s capable. Trust her a little, Seb. She’ll find her way.”
Sebastian nodded slowly. “I know. I just… I can’t stop worrying.”
Ash reached over, ruffling his hair in mock exasperation. “Classic Seb. Always the watchful one. Always the worrywart.”
Sebastian let a small smile slip, despite himself. The warmth of the restaurant, the steady presence of Ash and Vex—it grounded him… at least for now. Outside, the snow continued to drift silently over Zurich, and somewhere beyond these walls, Kristina, Lucian, and Eli were moving through their own night, unaware of the quiet concern waiting for them here.
Some truths are held in silence, waiting to reveal themselves.
—To be continued.
