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He nods firmly, his voice deep with emotion. “Why not? I don’t want to hide this. I don't want to treat whatever we have as some sort of dark secret that we have to be ashamed of. You deserve to be in the light, Julia.”
Sebastian’s words hit me right in the heart, and if I’ve ever had any doubt that he’s the right man for me, it’s all gone now. I search his face for any signs of hesitation but find none. “Fine,” I say, still not sure that it’s the right choice. “But Dad isn’t going to fly to Amsterdam, let me tell you right away. He’s gone and can’t come back.”
Sebastian hesitates. “Why can’t he travel?”
Not wanting to get into a deep conversation about this, I simply shrug. “It’s got to do with Mom. That's all I know. It’s not like either of them would ever talk to me about it.”
He blinks a few times, processing what I’ve told him, before he speaks up again. “I will speak with your mom, then,” he says confidently. “I want her to know that my feelings for you are serious and true.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “You want to meet Mom?” I gasp. “Oh gosh, I don’t know about that.”
“She can’t be as scary as my dad,” Sebastian jokes, but I can’t bring myself to laugh. The reality of the situation looms large, and I can’t shake the feeling of trepidation that washes over me. When I don’t respond to the jest, his grin slowly starts to fall. “Can she…?”
Lost in thought, I’m caught off guard by the sound of my phone ringing. Checking the caller ID, I let out a sigh upon seeing that it’s Mom. I’ve been busted, and our rendezvous has to end now if we don’t want my mother pounding on his car's windows any second.
“I have to go,” I tell him, my anxiety already steadily rising. “I'll try to set up the meeting, but you can’t rush me. It’s not going to be easy.”
Sebastian exits the car and opens the door for me, a small act of chivalry that I'm grateful for. I wrap my arms around him, not nearly satisfied by the hug but taking what joy and closeness I can from it. Despite my reservations, and all of the terrible things that have happened, I can’t help but fall for him hard.
17
Sebastian
This morning caughtme off guard. When I woke up, it didn’t hit me until I was brushing my teeth after my shower: today is my first day as the CEO of Van den Bosch Industries. It took me by surprise so much that I almost dropped my toothbrush, but managed to keep a hold of it and coax my galloping pulse down to a normal rhythm.
Now, I’m here—the high rise that holds my family’s business, which I’m now at the helm of. I’ve seen these two doors a million times it feels like, but today they look completely foreign to me. This reality still doesn’t seem real…with the death of my mother and siblings, and my ascension in the company, my world has changed so drastically in just a mere few days that I wonder if I’m even the same man as I was before.
I step closer to the doors, taking a deep breath before pushing them open. The office is just as I remember it, with its sleek, modern design and polished wooden floors, and employees bustling around to get the day started. At first, I start to go to my normal office, but pause. Instead, I change course, and head to the office that still belongs to my father, but will soon be mine. I might as well get used to the new routine, I guess.
Inside the huge room, the scent of leather from my dad’s favorite armchair fills the air, and for a moment, I'm transported back to my childhood. I walk over to his desk, now mine, and take a seat in his chair. It feels strange to be sitting here without him, but I remind myself that I have a job to do. I have to keep this company running, no matter how out of place I may feel. I’ve been preparing for this my entire professional life, but I’d give it all up to have my family back. But, as it is, I just have to make do.
A knock sounds from the door, and I look up to see Karl, dressed in the finest suit I’ve ever seen him wear, and his hair slicked back. He must be nervous for today, too, and I can’t really blame him. As the son of Johannes Van den Bosch, the company was always going to be passed to me, but Karl is undeniably Dad’s protégé in the sales portion of the company. He’s expected to become my right hand man now, so the first day jitters are affecting him as well.
I take a deep breath, feeling a sense of gratitude wash over me. Dad might have stepped down, but I still have Karl. And for that, I’m thankful.
“Good morning,” he greets softly, giving me a reassuring smile. “How are you holding up?”
I shrug, not sure how to answer. “I don’t know, Karl. It still doesn't feel real.”
“I know.” His voice’s gentle and he gives a few steps in my direction. “But we have to keep moving forward. Your dad wouldn’t want us to stop.”
I nod, feeling a lump form in my throat. He’s right, of course. My dad was never one to dwell on the past. He was always looking to the future, to the next big idea…but the way he’s talking about my father makes me feel ill. Dad isn’t dead yet, like everyone else, so why is everyone acting like he is?
“He’s not gone,” I force out between my teeth, pushing my anger at the world down. It isn’t Karl’s fault I feel like this, though. “He’s still going to be the new chairman.”
“I know,” he responds quickly. “I think we both know that he isn’t functioning at his full capacity right now, and most of this is going to fall on you for the time being. But you're not alone. We’re all here to help you. We’re a team.” Karl joins me in the room, taking a seat in one of the chairs across from me. “So, what’s the plan?” he asks, his eyes meeting mine.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “First, we need to review the financials. I want to make sure we’re on track for the next quarter.”
Karl nods in agreement. “Okay, I’ll pull up the reports.”
As I start typing away at the computer, I can’t help but feel a sense of harsh apprehension wash over me. My dad made it look so easy, running this company and managing the finances. But now it's my turn, and I'm not sure if I'm ready for it.
We spend the next hour going over the reports, discussing sales numbers and projections. Karl is a wealth of sales knowledge, and I’m grateful for his assistance. But as we dig deeper into the financials, I start to feel a sense of panic. What if I can’t do this? What if I’m not good enough?
Karl notices my unease and puts a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it. It takes time, but you’ll get there.”
I nod, grateful for his words of encouragement. “Thanks. I just wish my dad was here to at least ease me into everything. There’s just no way I can possibly ask that of him right now, so I feel like I’ve just been thrown in the deep end, you know?”
