Kneeling for a Second Chance Novel

---- Chapter 72 Selena's warm cheek rested against Sebastian's shoulder. He froze for a second as a strange, unexpected warmth welled up in his chest. He instinctively patted Selena's back gently, soothing her. Then, he heard a tiny whisper in her sleep. "Daddy." It was soft and barely audible. And with the rain pouring down around them, Valeria didn't hear it. Only Sebastian did. For asecond, he thought he was imagining it. But that soft, childlike voice in his ear, though barely a whisper, felt all too real.

Selena had fallen asleep on his shoulder, ---- her soft, fair cheek resting gently against him, her warm breath brushing his skin. Though her breathing was soft and light, it somehow felt like it was in perfect rhythm with the beating of his heart. It caught him off guard for a moment , like someone had hit pause on his entire body. Sebastian knew that Selena had mistaken him for her dad. Valeria stood on her toes, lifting the umbrella to cover both Sebastian and Selena. Valeria glanced at him in surprise , unsure why he had suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Sebastian ," she called out to him softly. Sebastian then snapped out of it. In the dark, rainy night , no one noticed ---- the change in him. But in that moment, he had slipped into a quiet daydream. What if Selena really was his daughter ? What if the woman beside him was his wife? His arm held the sleeping child firmly , and as he looked at Valeria's rain-soaked shoulder, his other hand reached out and gently pulled Valeria closer , her slender frame coming to rest against his side. Her fingers tightened anxiously around the umbrella handle.

Meanwhile, Sebastian's other hand rested firmly on her waist. Their steps fell in sync, with Selena fast asleep, nestled against his shoulder. Valeria held up the umbrella, tilting her ---- face to look at Sebastian, who was standing just inches away. She hadn't realized such a small umbrella could actually fit three people. Her clothes were damp and clinging to her skin, the rain-soaked fabric chilled by the night air. But in his arms, there was a strange kind of warmth. It slowly seeped into her and into him, too. Sebastian lived on the 12th floor of Tower No. 3 in Oakreed.

Valeria instinctively turned her face away, not looking when he punched in the code on the keypad lock to his apartment. ---- It was just a simple gesture, and she heard him let out a quiet chuckle. She touched her cheek and felt it was damp too, with strands of hair sticking to her neck, a little uncomfortable. In rain this heavy, getting soaked was just part of the deal. Her fingers were stiff from the cold. After the door was opened, Valeria reached out, trying to take Selena from Sebastian's arms.

But he moved ahead of her, carrying Selena into the guest bedroom , and laid her down on the bed. Valeria stood at the doorway , watching as he covered Selena with a blanket. Maybe someday, when he married Sabrina and had kids of his own, he ---- would make a good father. Just then, something brushed against Valeria's leg. She looked down and saw a golden retriever. The fur around its muzzle had turned white, and that was a clear sign of age. She had two dogs at home -Potato and Pork Chop. The golden retriever caught the scent of fellow canines on her and sniffed curiously around her feet.

Valeria quickly came to her senses -this was someone else's home. She hurried to take off her shoes and glanced at the shoe rack. There were only men's slippers. Valeria had assumed there would be ---- some women's essentials at Sebastian's place. Didn't Sabrina come by often? As she bent down to open the shoe cabinet, Sebastian's voice came from behind her, "There's nothing for women here. Just make yourself at home."