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Four

Author: Roseanna
last update Last Updated: 2024-11-10 08:32:10

Sebastian’s POV

I sit in my office, my gaze shifting to different parts of the office as I tap the heels of my right foot repeatedly on the tiled floor.

Different thoughts racing in my mind but it’s not about the stack of organized files sitting on my desk in front of me.

I look again at the walls lined with dark mahogany rich and polished to a gleam. Shelves filled with leather-bound books, many of which had likely never been opened, loomed over the massive desk at the far end of the room.

My eyes shift to the grand portrait of my father hung above the desk, his stern expression serving as a constant reminder of the legacy I’m expected to uphold.

Despite the large breathable space of the office, I feel suffocated.

Everything in the office screams wealth and power almost in an oppressive way.

It's something I grew up with, something I’m used to but even after how many years sometimes it feels suffocating.

And I am soon to inherit all of it, that is if I comply to their request.

The atmosphere of the office grows thicker by the minute as I’m reminded of what I have to do in order not to lose my inheritance to my brother Andrew.

I reach for my tie, loosen it, unbutton the first two buttons of my shirt and hoped it would do something to stop my throat from feeling like the air inside me was being squeezed out of my lungs.

After months of excuses, my parent’s patience ran out pretty quickly and they propose that I marry, Clara the daughter of a business partner.

“She’s such a sweetheart and would make a good wife for you Sebastian” my mom said the day Clara dropped by to introduce herself on my parent’s request.

I would rather die alone than marry that cunning little woman. Her innocent smile is full of mischief and masks the wicked thoughts in her head however she cannot hide it from me.

My parents gave me and one week ultimatum to provide a bride for them or I would be forced to marry Clara in order to keep my inheritance.

Unfair if you ask me but I’m at their mercy and now I’m forced to look for a miracle before Sunday which is when the ultimatum would run out.

It's already Wednesday and I’m getting anxious. I told Dice, my best friend about my predicament and he suggested we hire someone to play pretend.

I despise Clara so much that I’m willing to marry a stranger to avoid walking down the aisle with her.

I suck in a deep breath and stop tapping my foot nervously. I lean forward on my desk and rest my head on the large desk in front of me.

A wave of grief mixed with guilt wash over me as the thought of my one true love Elizabeth cross my mind. Elizabeth, the love of my life was taken to soon from me.

If she hadn’t died so soon we’d be married already and I wouldn’t have to even think of hiring a fake girlfriend.

I raise my head and drag my palms across my face rubbing my eyes that felt like they were burning as tears threatened to form.

My heart ache again at the thought of her. Elizabeth’s smile, her body, her hair, voice, smell everything was so perfect. I exhale exhaustedly trying to calm my hurting soul but it is hard.

It’s been month since she died and every day since feels incomplete without her.

I leaned back in my chair, staring blankly at the ceiling, and the memory of her laugh came flooding back. A soft, musical, like the wind through an open window on a summer day.

I could almost see her now, sitting across from me, smiling that playful smile that made everything feel lighter. She’d always tease me when I was stressed, reach across the table to take my hand, and say, “Sebastian, you take everything too seriously.”

God, she was right. With her, nothing ever felt too heavy. I could breathe when she was around.

I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing I could hear her voice again. The last time we were together, we sat in the park, her head resting on my shoulder as the sun set, casting the world in a warm, golden glow. “Promise me we’ll do this forever,” she whispered.

And I had. I’d promised her forever. But forever had ended the moment she didn’t come home that night.

The thought twisted the knife of grief deeper into my chest.

“ If she were still here, I wouldn’t be in this mess. We would’ve been married by now. I wouldn’t have to face this ridiculous ultimatum or even think about Clara. I’d have Elizabeth, my Elizabeth and everything would’ve been perfect”. I mumble with my head hung low.

But instead, all I had was the hollow ache of what could have been.

My painful train of thought is brought to an halt by the sound of my phone ringing. It is Dice calling.

Stephany’s POV

It’s another exhausting day as I wake up and prepare to go to work. The café, where I’ve worked for years, is my saving grace. It’s the job that keeps Elise and me afloat—barely. But even as I pull on my uniform, the weight of our situation presses down harder, like a hand tightening around my chest. It’s not enough. It’s never enough.

I woke up earlier than usual today, so I decide to kill some time by searching for more jobs. Something, anything to keep Don Mario’s goons off our doorstep for another month. I settle on the couch, my laptop balanced on my knees, and crack open a can of Monster. The cool bitterness does little to wake me up, but at least it helps drown out my growing sense of dread.

I scroll through endless job listings, ones I’m not qualified for or ones that clash with my current schedule. I sigh and drop my head back on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling. The anxious feeling is creeping in again, tightening in my chest like a slow, inevitable storm.

I squeeze my eyes shut and whisper a quiet prayer. God, if you’re listening… please help me. I don’t know what else to do.

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  • 100 Days With Mr. Sebastian    Chapter 20

    The moment I open the door, my world shatters. Two of Don Mario’s men stand there, as they always do, but their presence tonight feels heavier, darker. My heart plummets like a stone. "Well, don’t you look fancy," the bald one sneers, his oily grin spreading across his face. The dim light above reflects off his head, making him look more sinister. He turns to his partner, seeking approval for his vile comment, and chuckles as he glances back at me, licking his lower lip. His partner’s gray eyes sweep over me, slow and deliberate, like he’s taking inventory of every inch of my body. "I’d like to have a taste," he says, his voice low and mocking, sending a wave of cold dread rushing through me. My breath catches. My body stiffens, but I force myself to speak. "W-why are you here?" I stammer, though I already know the answer. My payment is due, and I don’t have it. The bald one tilts his head, his expression hardening. "Why are we here?" His voice drips with icy sarcasm. "Why d

  • 100 Days With Mr. Sebastian    Chapter 19

    Stephany>>> I don't get him. I really don't. Sebastian Sanders, the smug nepo baby who stained my dress with coffee and couldn’t bother to apologize, now looks... a little less than the irredeemable asshole I pegged him as. Even though I try to steer my attention elsewhere, my gaze betrays me. It’s like gravity, pulling me back to him again and again. The way his eyes stay fixed on the road, dark and intense, flickering with something I can’t define—it makes my stomach flutter against my will. The glow of the city lights spills through the windows, illuminating the sharp angles of his jaw, the curve of his lips, the faint shadow of stubble that dusts his skin. And then there are his hands. His veined, impossibly large hands grip the steering wheel with the kind of command that sends an electric current rippling through me. Every motion is deliberate, controlled, powerful. When his other hand moves, fingers slowly tugging at his tie, loosening it just enough to reveal the b

  • 100 Days With Mr. Sebastian    Chapter 18

    Sebastian's POV Stephany's eyes flicker nervously as I asked her what my brother said. "It's nothing I can't handle." she mutters, brushing the question off. I don't believe it but it's clear she doesn't want to talk about it. I drop my question in an attempt to ease her discomfort. I know the whole night has been nothing but suffocating for her and I wasn't going to add to it. Though the dinner is over, it's just the beginning and I am not going to back down. Apart from my mom, everyone else is still skeptical about my union with Stephany which means I need to convince them harder and I was just going to do that. My gaze hovers over Stephany who still looks uncomfortable and an idea sweeps my mind. Without a second thought, I sweep her off her feet resulting in an audible gasp from her. She looks at me with the most "

  • 100 Days With Mr. Sebastian    Chapter 17

    The tension at the table is palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife. I glance at Sebastian, his face a perfect mask of calm, though his clenched jaw betrays the effort it’s taking to hold his composure. Andrew, on the other hand, radiates a smug confidence, his fingers drumming lazily against the polished table as if he’s savoring the discomfort in the room. His gaze flickers to me, then back to Sebastian, and I realize this dinner isn’t just about me being introduced to the family—it’s some sort of game between them. Sebastian’s mother, oblivious or perhaps willfully ignoring the tension, claps her hands lightly to grab everyone’s attention. "Well! Now that we’re all here, let’s begin," she says brightly. Servants begin to bring out plates, their movements seamless and precise, but I can barely focus on the food. “So, Stephany,” Andrew starts, his voice slicing through the murmurs of small talk. “How did you and my dear brother meet?” My chest tightens as all eyes swing tow

  • 100 Days With Mr. Sebastian    Chapter Sixteen

    We arrive at a sprawling mansion nestled within an estate that feels worlds away from the bustling city of Las Vegas. The air itself carries a weight of luxury, the kind that wraps around you, almost suffocating in its opulence. I let out a shaky breath, silently reciting the details of the fabricated story Sebastian and I had rehearsed—the perfect lies of how we met, our supposed whirlwind romance, and the little personal touches he’d told me to memorize. The massive oak door emerges before me, a barrier between my world and the one I’m about to step into. Sebastian’s hand slips into mine, our fingers interlocking in an unexpectedly intimate gesture. The warmth of his touch sends a jolt through me, my pulse quickening in response. “Phew… okay, I can do this,” I mutter under my breath. Sebastian’s sharp gaze flicks toward me, and the faintest smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Relax. It’s going to be fine,” he says, his tone smooth and reassuring, though it does little

  • 100 Days With Mr. Sebastian    Chapter Fifteen

    “I…” I start, hesitating as the weight of my next words presses down on me. “I have a sister, Elise. She’s in college… it’s just the two of us now.” My voice falters, my gaze darting nervously between Sebastian’s piercing stare and the silence growing heavier around us. His expression doesn’t shift, his presence as unwavering as stone. “What about your parents?” he asks, his voice calm yet probing, as though he already suspects the answer. “No,” I blurt out, sharper than intended. “You can’t meet them.” His eyes narrow slightly. “Why not?” “They’re dead,” I whisper, the words slicing through me like glass. Each syllable is bitter and raw, leaving a sharp sting in their wake. For a moment, something flickers in his dark eyes. Guilt? Pity? Whatever it is, it’s gone as quickly as it appeared, leaving only a faint shadow of humanity in his otherwise impenetrable gaze. “I’m sorry,” he says softly, his voice holding a sincerity that catches me off guard. It’s unsettling—

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