The Rose He Killed novel Chapter 245

Chapter 220: Planning to meet Sebastian

Bella POV

After a few days of thinking and talking with Sebastian on the phone, I finally felt ready.

Sebastien had been calling me every evening for the past week. Our first conversations were short and a bit awkward, but as the days passed, we talked for longer. He told me about his life in France, his daily routines, and how he spent his evenings.

He never pushed me for answers, and he never demanded to see me again he just listened to my voice.

One night, he stayed on the phone with me for an hour just listening to me talk about my business. He sounded genuinely interested in everything I had built. Hearing the soft, steady tone of his voice every night made something shift inside me. He was really trying. He was earning my trust, piece by piece, through those nightly phone calls.

But before I could make a final decision about letting him meet my son, I needed to talk to Caleb. Caleb was my rock, and his opinion meant everything to me.

We sat in our living room after Tom had gone to bed. I had my legs curled up on the couch, holding a warm mug of tea, while Caleb sat close to me.

“Sebastien asked to meet the kids,” I said quietly, looking down at my mug. “We have been talking on the phone almost every night. He is very patient, Caleb. He isn’t rushing me, but I know he really wants to see his grandchildren.”

Caleb reached out and placed his large, warm hand over mine. He squeezed it gently. “How do you feel about it, Bella?”

“I’m scared,” I admitted honestly. “I’m worried about bringing another person into our life, especially someone from a world so different from ours. What if it complicates things? What if Olivier causes problems?”

I looked up at Caleb, my chest tightening as the thoughts swirled around in my head. “I also want him to see Tom first, before Grace. Tom is older, and he is way more understanding. But Grace is still so little. I just don’t want to carry a baby that far distance yet, and I’m not ready for her to be in the middle of all this family drama. It’s just…” I trailed off, shaking my head. “I am so confused.”

Caleb leaned in closer, wrapping his other arm around my shoulders.

“Breathe,” he said softly, his voice a calm anchor in the room. “Just take a deep breath, Bella.”

I exhaled loudly, letting out the heavy air that had been trapped in my chest.

Caleb smiled down at me, his eyes full of that steady patience I always relied on.

“There you go,” he said gently, rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand. “Now forget about Olivier for a second. This is about you, Tom, and Sebastien. As long as you feel comfortable, you can do whatever you want. I will always support you, no matter what you choose.”

“You don’t mind?” I asked, looking up into his eyes.

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Chapter 120ning to meet Sebastian

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“Of course I don’t mind,” Caleb said with a soft smile. “I love you, and I love our kids. If this man can bring something good into your life, and if he wants to be a good grandfather to our kids, then I am all for it. You don’t have to do everything all at once. If you only want him to meet Tom right now, then that is exactly what we will do. Grace can stay horne with me. Tom is older, he loves exploring, and like you said, he can understand things a bit better.”

He leaned forward and kissed the side of my head. “You are in charge here, Bella. Sebastien will respect your boundaries because he wants to be in your life. Don’t worry about Olivier, and don’t worry about the future. Just focus on one step at a time. I am always right here with you.”

Hearing Caleb say those words made the heavy knot in my chest completely dissolve. His reassurance was exactly what I needed.

The next evening, when Sebastien called, I took a deep breath.

“Sebastien,” I said into the phone. “I want you to meet Tom. We can meet at the park this Saturday morning.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. For a second, I thought the call had dropped. Then, I heard him take a shaky breath.

“Thank you, Bella,” Sebastien said. His voice sounded thick with emotion, much softer than his usual formal tone. “You have no idea what this means to me. I will be there. Whenever and wherever you want.”

“Just a casual meeting at the park,” I said. “Keep it simple.”

“Of course. Whatever makes you and the boy comfortable,” he replied.

The next few days were filled with preparation. On Friday night, I sat Tom down in his room while he was organizing his toy shelves. He was meticulously cleaning his plastic dinosaurs, which was his current obsession.

“Tom, sweetie,” I said, sitting on the floor next to him. “We are going to the park tomorrow morning to meet someone.”

Tom stopped wiping his plastic Stegosaurus and looked at me. “Who?”

“An older gentleman named Sebastien,” I explained carefully. “He is a very important person from France, and I am getting to know him. He really wants to meet you.”

“Is he a friend?” Tom asked, his big eyes blinking at me.

“He is… family,” I said, choosing the word thoughtfully. “He is related to us. But right now, we are just going to hang out at the park. You don’t have to do anything special. I just need you to be yourself.”

Tom went back to his dinosaur. “Does he know a lot about Dinosaurs?”

“I think he knows a lot about businesses and big cities,” I smiled. “But you can teach him about your things.”

“Okay,” Tom said, completely satisfied with that answer.

On Saturday morning, the house was busy. Caleb helped Tom get dressed in his favorite green sweater and sneakers, making sure his hair was brushed. Caleb walked us to the car in the driveway. He leaned

Chapter 220 Panning to meet Sebastian

down, kissed Tom on the forehead, and then gave me a deep, reassuring kiss.

Clam

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