I can see the scene already.
After an emotionally fragile and longing Alek finally succumb to Sabine, years passed like days. Sabine living in happy bliss, Alek a delusional lie.
(His guilt and anguish preventing him from realising he had fallen for Sabine and not just the reminder of his lost past.)

His self pity saw them separating so she opened her heart and bore it's secret confessions. Believing that such dramatic truths could conquer all.
"I have loved you since I was a child."
Dismissive and enraged, focused in self thought he aggressively retorts 
"You are still a child!"

Those words cut deep and drove her away.
The rejection led her to the employ of Vlad, and far out of reach of Alek's feelings when he came to the realisation of what he lost.

From there the meeting were few and rare, but always filled with a complicated tension as they never spoke of what happened before. Both assuming the other had forgotten or would rather forget.

Each not knowing the place they still held in the others heart and disposing them for appearing as cold and careless as they themself acted.