"So, you've been here all along since you left the country last year?" Sebastian's inquiry broke the silence as they sat secluded in the living room, afforded privacy after the others had discovered their prior acquaintance.

Scarlett nodded, her hand cradling a steaming mug of hot chocolate. "Yes, I've been staying with Dr. Saito since I was discharged from his hospital," she revealed, then instantly regretted her openness. Her eyes snapped shut—other than Trixie and Dr. Benson, no one knew of her hospital stay.

"Hospital? Why were you there?" Sebastian's worry was clear in his voice.

She glanced at him and caught his concerned look. Initially, she tensed up, realizing she'd let something very personal slip—especially to someone who was her ex-husband's business partner. She should have been worried that Sebastian might tell Nate. But meeting his gaze, that fear dissipated; she felt safe, made her feel she could trust him.

Sebastian Henderson had always had this effect on her, ever since their first meeting. There was an unexplainable familiarity about him that made her feel like she could open up about anything.

Taking a moment, Scarlett averted her eyes and sighed. "I was sick," she started, her fingers tensing around the mug. "I was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. Only my doctor in Los Angeles and my friend Trixie knew. No one else did, not even my husband," she paused, catching herself, "my ex-husband, I mean."

As Scarlett remembered the harsh judgments cast by the media, tears unexpectedly welled up in her eyes. It had been over a year, yet the pain of being so cruelly scrutinized was still raw, still fresh in her heart.

"You said 'had,' so you've recovered? You're all better?" Sebastian asked, his tone hopeful. Scarlett nodded, and a smile flickered across her face. "I'm relieved to hear that," he said, taking her hand gently. "And I'm sorry you had to endure all that, not to mention the relentless media scrutiny. It must have been a heavy burden to bear."

Sebastian noticed the change in her demeanor and his expression softened. "I'm not sure if this helps, but I've never believed the degrading and malicious things they said about you," he assured her, his voice filled with sincerity. "I've encountered many people in my years, and I pride myself on being a good judge of character." His warm smile offered comfort. "From the very first day we met, it was clear to me—you are an extraordinary woman with a heart just as remarkable. It's all in your eyes."

He reached out, his thumb gently brushing the tear from her cheek. Scarlett managed a small, grateful smile, "Thank you, Mr. Henderson. Hearing you say that, it means a lot. I felt like I lost almost everyone after... everything." The words hung between them, tinged with relief and the weight of past sorrows.

Sebastian watched her closely, his tone warm and caring. "So, has being here in Switzerland helped you out somehow?"

Scarlett nodded, a lightness in her expression. "Yeah, the people here have been so kind. And you know, no one treats me like a celebrity. Here, I'm just me, and it's been really nice to just be normal for a while."

Sebastian's smile was warm and genuine, a clear sign of his relief. "That's wonderful to hear. You deserve a break like this. Switzerland is the perfect place to find some peace—I know because I found it once myself," he said, a nostalgic grin appearing on his face.

"With your Anastasia?" Scarlett asked lightly. She remembered their first conversation and her curiosity about what had happened between them—why they hadn't ended up together. But she knew better than to delve into such personal territory.

He nodded, a sheepish expression taking over as he looked towards the fireplace. Scarlett noticed the wistful look in his eyes, the unmistakable sign of someone still haunted by a long-lost love.

Scarlett couldn't explain it, but her heart hurt for him, seeing the sadness linger in his eyes.

The room fell quiet for a moment before Sebastian spoke again, his eyes meeting Scarlett's. "About the piano piece you played earlier," he started, his voice a mix of curiosity and nostalgia. "Where did you find it?"

"In our house, in the attic. Why do you ask? And how did you recognize that music?" Scarlett's curiosity piqued.

Sebastian's smile was tinged with sadness as he replied, "Anastasia wrote it for me." He paused, his gaze drifting to the grand piano. "She called it 'Lune de Promesse'—Moon of Promise. She played it right here, on that piano, over four decades ago."

Scarlett's eyes widened. "You and Anastasia were here? In this orphanage?"

"It wasn't an orphanage back then," he explained, a wistful look in his eyes as he glanced around the old building. "It was a residential house owned by Leano's parents. Anastasia and I came here in '82 after we ran away together." A chuckle escaped him, the memory seeming to bring the moment vividly back to life.

"You two eloped?" Scarlett found herself drawn into his story, her smile growing.

"Tried to," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper, his eyes clouding with a deeper sorrow. "Leano and his parents took us in for two weeks. And those were the best days of my life... I'd give anything, everything I own, just to go back to that time, even for a moment."

Sebastian's words seemed to echo through the silent room. 

"Anastasia played 'Lune de Promesse' for me one night," Sebastian continued, his eyes distant as he lost himself in the memory. "She told me that the piece was her declaration of eternal love. Under the moonlit sky, she promised that even if we couldn't be together, her heart would always belong to me. She said we were each other's home and that our love would remain forever etched in our hearts."

His voice faltered, and he paused, looking down as if trying to gather the strength to go on. "That was the first and last time I heard her play it," he added quietly. "The next day, her parents found us. I had just stepped out to get her a gift—a thank you for the beautiful music she gave me. But when I returned... she was gone." 

A shadow of pain crossed his face as he recalled the moment. "She left a note, promising to come back as soon as she could convince her parents that she wouldn't marry the man they wanted her to—that she loved someone else."

As Sebastian continued, a visible pain spread across his face, etching into his features as he spoke. "The next time I heard from her was three months later, through a letter," he said, the hurt evident in his voice. "She told me she had married Ashton Davenport. She said she was sorry for not telling me in person... that she was too ashamed to face me."

His eyes clouded over, and his voice dropped to almost a whisper, "She couldn't look me in the eye and tell me that our promises, our plans, had crumbled to dust." The silence that followed was thick with sorrow, his gaze fixed on something far beyond the walls of the room.

Scarlett instinctively placed a hand on her chest, feeling the heavy tug at her heartstrings as Sebastian's story unfolded. Tears began to cascade down her cheeks, empathy pouring out with them, mirroring his heartache.

"Hey," Sebastian said softly, noticing her tears. He handed her his handkerchief with a bittersweet chuckle. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm sorry, it's just..." she sniffled, wiping away tears as they kept streaming down. "Your story really got to me. I've always been a sucker for tragic romances." She gave a small, shaky laugh, trying to brush off her tears. 

Sebastian gently patted her shoulders, offering a comfort that seemed misplaced as if she should have been the one comforting him. 

As they were talking, Dr. Saito and Mr. Fischer walked in. Dr. Saito was carrying a pillow and a quilt, his expression turning to concern when he noticed Scarlett's tears. "Are you alright?" he asked, eyeing her with worry.

Scarlett nodded, wiping away the last of her tears. "I'm fine, really," she assured him, managing a small smile.

Sebastian chuckled softly, giving Scarlett's back a gentle pat. "She just got a little swept up in an old man's tale," he explained lightly.

Mr. Fischer, who had been listening, couldn't resist a playful jab. "Old man? You?" he said with a twinkle in his eye. "Please, at sixty you're just a youngster. Now me, I'm the one pushing seventy—now that's old!" Their laughter filled the room, a warm, easy sound.

As the wind howled outside, Mr. Fischer brought up the weather. "Looks like this storm's not going anywhere. You folks might as well stay the night." Mr. Fischer suggested. "My wife's already set up rooms for Scarlett and Sebastian."

Dr. Saito was already making himself comfortable on the couch, throwing a pillow and quilt over it. "I'll bunk here tonight," he announced casually.

Mr. Fischer laughed, scratching his head. "Almost all the bedrooms are full with the kids and staff sleeping there," he said.

Sebastian immediately objected, "Hey, I can crash on the couch. This young doctor here should take the bedroom."

Scarlett gave Dr. Saito a worried look, wondering if the couch would be too uncomfortable. Catching her glance, he smiled warmly, almost as if he could read her mind, reassuring her silently that he was perfectly fine with the setup. 

"I've spent plenty of nights on this couch," Dr. Saito reassured Sebastian, patting the cushions fondly. "It's practically molded to me by now."

Sebastian was about to insist, but Mr. Fischer cut him off with a playful nudge, "Hey, an old man like you needs a real bed. Your back will thank you in the morning."

Sebastian pretended to be affronted, "Old man? I thought you said I'm still a youngster!" Their laughter filled the room again.

At ten o'clock, Scarlett snuggled into the cozy bed Mrs. Fischer had set up, grateful for the house's heating that kept the room snug. She texted Trixie to let her know all was well, responding to one of the many check-ins she'd received since Trixie returned to the US. 

Lying back, Scarlett stared at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting to Sebastian's story of his brief romance with her first love. Her heart ached for what might have been if Anastasia were still alive - would they have found their way back to each other? 

As she was about to drift off, the lights in her room flickered out. A shiver ran through her body, her breath catching in her throat. "No. No," she whispered, a wave of fear paralyzing her.

Frantically, she reached for her phone, which she was sure she'd placed right next to her on the nightstand, but panic clouded her senses. Fear gripped her, consuming her.

Flashes of her childhood surged back—shadowy images of her father's contemptuous eyes, the stinging pain of each blow he delivered. She could feel his presence in the darkness, as if he was watching her again.

Tears streamed down her face as she clutched the blanket tightly. The whimpered pleas of her younger self echoed in her head, Daddy, please stop it! I'm sorry... Daddy, I'm sorry!

It had been twenty years, yet the trauma clung to her, relentless and suffocating. The darkness was a prison, trapping her with memories she longed to forget but which held her fast, leaving her feeling terrified and alone.

"Please, is anyone there?" her voice trembled, barely louder than a whisper. "Anyone..."

A soft knock at the door jolted Scarlett from her fears, and a wave of relief washed over her when she recognized the gentle voice on the other side.

"Scarlett? I'm coming in, alright?" Dr. Saito's voice was soft and soothing as the door slowly creaked open. A beam of light from his flashlight sliced through the darkness, easing the suffocating fear that had gripped her.

As the light filled the room, Scarlett's tense muscles relaxed. She sprang up and ran to him, her hands clutching at his shirt. "Thank you. Thank you..." she sobbed, her voice muffled against him.

Dr. Saito wrapped his arms around her, his embrace warm and secure. "I'm here, Scar. I'm right here with you," he reassured her, his voice smooth and familiar, a soft murmur that brought immediate comfort. His presence, so steady and reassuring, melted away the last traces of her fear as she leaned into the safety he offered.

Dr. Saito gently picked up Scarlett and carried her downstairs to the living room, where the fireplace was already burning brightly, lighting up the room. The house was quiet, with everyone else settled in their rooms, and it was just the two of them by the firelight.

He set her gently on the couch, tucking the quilt around her. "You're shivering," he observed, his voice laced with concern as he sat down beside her. Reaching for the pitcher on the table, he poured her a glass of water. "Drink this," he offered, handing her the glass. "How are you feeling now?"

"Better," Scarlett replied, her voice still a little weak, but she managed a faint smile after taking a sip.

Dr. Saito watched her closely, his gaze thoughtful. "Was it the darkness that frightened you?" he asked. Scarlett nodded, and he continued, "I think the snowstorm might've knocked out the power. I ran down to your room as soon as the lights went out—I know how much the dark scares you."

She smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you, Dr. Saito, for always being there when I need you."

"You're welcome," he replied, his smile warm and reassuring. "And please, call me Yuki."

Scarlett was taken aback by his suggestion. "What? Oh, no, Dr. Saito. I... I can't call you that. You're my doctor," she stammered, caught off guard. Although she appreciated how he'd started to open up after being distant for so long, using his first name—or his nickname 'Yuki'—felt far too informal.

"We're not in the hospital, Scar. And even though I'm still helping with your recovery from the transplant, I'm not technically your doctor anymore," he explained, a slight smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "Calling me Dr. Saito all the time makes things seem very formal. It feels like we're just maintaining a professional distance—"

"Isn't it supposed to be that way?" she cut in, her voice a mix of curiosity and caution.

Dr. Saito let out a soft, sheepish chuckle, and Scarlett couldn't help but find his demeanor charming. "What I mean is, I'd like us to be friends, Scar. Only if you're comfortable with that, of course."

Scarlett didn't respond immediately, her gaze fixed on Dr. Saito—Yuki. His eyes, so expressive and seemed to hold nothing back. He appeared so genuine, so open. And then, almost without realizing it, she found herself nodding.

"Okay," she said softly, the word more of a whisper than a statement.

Hearing her response, Yuki's smile widened, lighting up his whole face. It was the kind of smile that made the room seem brighter, more alive.

"Good," he replied, still looking straight at her.

Yuki noticed Scarlett's shivering had stopped and the panicked look in her eyes had softened. "And as your friend, I have to ask," he started, his voice gentle, "have you ever thought about seeing a therapist for your fear of the dark?"

Scarlett sighed, looking down. "I tried once. They wanted to do cognitive-behavioral therapy, but I couldn't handle it. It was too much, maybe I just wasn't ready."

She hugged herself tightly, as if trying to hold herself together. "Every time the lights go out, even for a second, I panic. I can't move. I see my dad's angry face, feel pain like my bones are breaking all over again. It's like the monsters from my nightmares are real." Her voice trembled, and tears started to fall again.

Seeing her distress, Yuki reached out and took her hand. "Scar... I'm right here."

When she looked up and met his eyes, she realized she had been holding her breath. She covered her face, embarrassed. "That's what happened when I tried therapy. After that, I was too scared to go back, and I never had the guts to try with another therapist."

Yuki gave her a warm, understanding smile. "Therapy really depends on feeling safe, on trusting the person helping you. That's when it can really work," he explained softly.

"But I understand it's tough to trust someone new, especially when your fear is linked to such deep, personal trauma. It means your anxiety is more intense than what others might experience." He added.

Scarlett chuckled shyly, still not quite accustomed to the informality. "I guess you're right, Dr. Saito—I mean, Yuki..." She glanced up at him and saw his smile widen, encouraged by her attempt at using his first name.

"So, I probably won't overcome this, right?" she asked, a hint of resignation in her voice.

Yuki held her gaze intently, his expression serious yet filled with an earnest kind of hope. "Do you trust me, Scar?" he asked suddenly. Scarlett furrowed her brow, puzzled by his question. "Do you trust me?" he repeated, his voice steady and reassuring.

"Yes, of course, I trust you," she replied with a smile, although she was unsure where he was leading. She did trust him deeply; after all, he was the one who had given her a second chance at life.

Relief washed over Yuki's face, and his smile softened. "I might not be a licensed psychologist or therapist," he began, "but I did minor in psychology in college. Every summer, my professor trained me in basic cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy. He even let me observe his sessions."

His voice was calm and dependable, the kind of tone that made you believe every word he said. "And since you trust me, I think I could help you overcome your fear. No, I believe I can help you," Yuki continued, his earnestness clear. "We can start at home—it's a safe environment where you're already comfortable. We'll take it slow, at a pace you can handle."

Scarlett hesitated, her words catching as she saw Yuki waiting for her response. Finally, she sighed, the weight of her thoughts apparent. "Yuki, you've already done so much for me—treating my heart condition, letting me stay in your house, and now this? It just seems like too much. I don't want to be a burden anymore." She looked away, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. 

But Yuki wasn't deterred. He held her hand more firmly and gently lifted her chin, urging her to look at him. "I insist, Scar," he said earnestly. "I really want to help you."

His expression was sincere, almost pleading, and it was clear he was holding back more than just a professional offer of help.

"And I won't stop until you say yes," Yuki said, his voice sweet and teasing, a playful glint in his eyes as he tried to ease her hesitations.

Scarlett sighed, a soft laugh escaping her as she relented. "Alright, but you have to promise to tell me if I ever become too much of a burden, okay?"

Yuki's laughter filled the living room, warm and genuine. "You're never going to be a burden to me, Scar. And I'd really appreciate it if you'd trust me a bit more."

As he said this, his gaze lingered on her, soft yet intense, the kind that seemed to see right through her. Scarlett felt a flutter in her chest, suddenly conscious of how close they were. His look, tender and caring, made her heart race—a look that spoke volumes without a word. She shifted slightly, the intensity making her both nervous and inexplicably drawn to him.

-----------------------------------------------
Hello Dearest Readers,

I know it's been a while since the last update—thank you for your patience! I've been busy editing Screenplay of the Heart: Book One to ensure it's ready for my target release date. The Wattpad version of Book One includes content from the Prologue through Chapter 18.

I'm thrilled to share that Screenplay of the Heart: Book One is now published on Kindle! Hurray! 🎉 I've added new chapters and revised some parts to enhance the story even more. You can check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKBHZ145

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @klastella06—I occasionally do random book giveaways!

P.S. The chapters from the Prologue to Chapter 18 will be removed from Wattpad soon, so be sure to catch up while they're still available.

KLastella 🌸🌸🌸

-----------------------------------------------