Chapter Thirty Nine_Bonding

Sebastian.

In hindsight, taking Elena to that fundraiser probably wasn't the best idea I had ever had. The short-term gain of keeping Vanessa, Kevin, and Charles quiet about the whole situation wasn't worth the long-term pain of seeing another scandal I was involved in on the news.

So long anonymity.

"You fucker. How dare you lay your hands on me."

"I could tell everyone about your real wife, the mother of your son."

Every time I thought about the short conversation Ryan had with himself whenever I punched him, I wanted to cringe and annihilate myself.

Cameras out, videos being recorded, Kevin carrying Elena out with some of my security details on them, the emptiness in my chest even more empty without her.

It was unacceptable.

Wanting to marry her because I needed someone for Romanov was acceptable. Wanting to tell her everything about myself and the business was not.

It didn't matter that she might be the only one to understand and comfort me. It was simple wrong.

I allowed her cud