## Hazel's POV
"I miss you." The words tumbled from my lips before I could stop them, raw and honest, as I watched the couple kissing on the street below.
The silence on the other end of the line lasted only a heartbeat, but it felt eternal. When Sebastian finally spoke, his voice had dropped an octave, husky with emotion.
"Say that again."
Heat rushed to my cheeks. "I miss you," I repeated, softer this time.
"I'll be on the next flight to Milan," Sebastian declared, already sounding like he was moving, his voice carrying that decisive edge I'd come to recognize. "I can be there by morning."
Reality crashed back into my consciousness like a bucket of ice water. What was I doing? Fiona's warnings echoed in my mind, reminding me of the invisible wall between Sebastian and me—his family, his duties, his legacy.
"No," I blurted out. "No, don't come."
Another pause, heavier this time. "Why not?"
