Seth slowly rose from the chair and began to walk around the room as his mind was churning with a whirl of feelings. He had loved Phoebe once, he had loved her with all his heart and soul and mind. But now? He did not know what emotions he had for her at the moment. Was it love, or was it just the lingering of the previous pain that had not been healed yet?The way Emma treated him was far different from the way Phoebe ever did; she had been kind, polite and caring to him. She never looked at him from the angle of how he was raised or the amount of money he had. She loved him with all his shortcomings and imperfections. Spending time with Emma was like starting a new chapter in one’s life, a way of establishing a healthy relationship.But despite all that, Phoebe still had the power over him and this was evident when he went to her house. This was like a man who no matter how hard he tries to progress, he is always pulled back by the past. Worse still, he had no idea how to go about i

The tension rose higher and higher and when Christian tried to grab Phoebe’s hand to bring her to him and kiss her maybe to teach Seth a lesson, Seth was right in front of him, his hand outstretched to stop him. “No,” Seth replied in a very low and dangerous tone. His fingers tightened around Christian’s wrist in a way that was unkind and the two men were nose to nose, glaring at each other. Christian’s lips curled into a sneer. ‘Or what?’ He sneered, the fire of defiance burning in his eyes. Seth stared at Christian with fiery eyes. “Or maybe I will tell you to whom she belongs. ” The room stopped for them, the music and voices of people in the background becoming inaudible as the two men glared at each other. Seth’s fingers dug into Christian’s skin for a second before he let go of his wrist and took a step back but kept staring at him. Phoebe was standing between them this time raising both hand sideways l. ‘Enough!’ she yelled, her voice shaking with rage. ”This is not a ba

She gasped and felt frozen as she was unable to break away from his stare. His words awakened something in her which she had locked deep down within her for a long time. But then she remembered Christian, the security that he provided, the serenity that she got from him. For her, the war continues within. “Seth,” she said softly after several moments, her voice shaking. “I can’t do this. ” Seth’s eyes begged her to look at him as he waited for her response. “Yes, you can. Just let go, Phoebe. Let go of the fear. You know we belong together. ” Before she could say anything, Christian spoke in a tone that could slice through butter. “Is everything alright?” Phoebe quickly swiveled around to see Christian standing a couple of steps from her, looking at her with a frown of concern and suspicion. He looked at her then at Seth and the tension between them was palpable. “I was just asking Phoebe if she’s happy,” Seth said and although his voice didn’t sound angry, he still didn’t loo

Phoebe laid her head on the chest of Christian, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the silence. The rhythmical sound of his heartbeat was soothing and she was reminded of the calmness that he introduced in her life. But even as she stood there with her arms around Christian’s neck, a small part of her was still conscious of what had taken place. It was really hard to bid farewell to Seth. He had been a major aspect of her life, the happy and the sad, and this was like setting a book aside when one is not sure whether or not they are ready to part with it.Christian stepped back a little, looking into her face and into the defiance in her eyes. “Are you sure You’re okay?”Phoebe breathed in deeply and then gave her consent. “I am. It was tough but it was inevitable.”“You have been through a lot Phoebe,” Christian whispered gently, touching her cheek with his hand, “And you don’t have to bear all the pain alone anymore.” He was a man with a gentle hand, very comforting.“I know,” she sai

“I believe you,” Phoebe whispered, she was so emotional that she could barely speak. “But love alone isn’t enough, Seth. We’ve hurt each other in ways that can’t be undone. You didn’t just break my heart; you broke my spirit. And I don’t think I can ever come back from that. ” Seth’s face twisted in agony and his dark eyes were full of suffering. “I know,” he said softly, his voice rough. “I let you down. But I can change. I can be the man you want. ” Phoebe stepped back and shook her head at the same time. “It’s not about being better. It’s about moving on. We’ve tried, Seth. We’ve tried to make this work and we’ve failed. Sometimes, love is not enough to mend what is broken. Sometimes, it is about letting go. ” Steady silence followed them like fog. Seth’s jaw clamped”, his hands were fisted at his sides as if he was on the verge of losing his temper. “Is it Christian?” he asked, almost in a whisper. Phoebe blinked, and felt the pressure of the question that was asked. She had n