Natalie’s povWhat was he about to do? His gaze was fixed on me in a way I hadn’t seen him look at me before. It better not be what I’m thinking. I swallowed, controlling my breathing, gazing into each other’s eyes with a glint of affection, or whatever that thing was. I closed my eyes as his palms smothered my cheeks. His hand was soft and felt like wool. He rubbed harder, drawing closer this time, until we were a little less than an inch closer to each other. What the hell was about to happen? I held my breath as his lips touched against mine. He kissed slowly, gradually taking more and more of my lips seeing I didn’t protest. Geez, I was kissing Sebastian Knight in a public place. What would people think of me? Hold on a minute, to them, we were married, so I needed to rephrase that question. What would I think of myself knowing I kissed him? I pressed away from me, lowering my head. I was ashamed of myself already and never expected things to go this way. “It was a mistake,
Natalie’s pov I have always been careful. Careful of the choices I made, careful of my life, and most of all my heart. But that night, I didn't know what came over me, because this feeling of recklessness was what I felt. Something I hadn't felt since my break up with Alfred.The counter had refused the tip Sebastian offered. I knew he wouldn’t take it lightly, so he went the sexy-rebellious way. “I love your lips. Way better and kissable, compared to my ex's.” Sebastian said as a glint of a smile brushed against my face.“I get that a lot.” “After they kiss you or…?” Huh? Did he hear me say that? Fuck me.“I only let people I like kiss me.”“It means you like me.” “I never said that…” I looked over my shoulder, butterflies. How I wish he could stop with the teasing.No, never stop.Suddenly, I felt his hand draw my jaw to his face as he kissed me slowly, then faster, our tongues wrestling intimate wars, and pleasurable noise nearly rising above the bass beat.Fuck knows. Was
Natalie’s pov I have always been careful. Careful of the choices I made, careful of my life, and most of all my heart. But that night, I didn't know what came over me, because this feeling of recklessness was what I felt. Something I hadn't felt since my break up with Alfred. The counter had refused the tip Sebastian offered. I knew he wouldn’t take it lightly, so he went the sexy-rebellious way. “I love your lips. Way better and kissable, compared to my ex's.” Sebastian said as a glint of a smile brushed against my face. “I get that a lot.” “After they kiss you or…?” Huh? Did he hear me say that? Fuck me. “I only let people I like kiss me.” “It means you like me.” “I never said that…” I looked over my shoulder, butterflies. How I wish he could stop with the teasing. No, never stop. Suddenly, I felt his hand draw my jaw to his face as he kissed me slowly, then faster, our tongues wrestling intimate wars, and pleasurable noise nearly rising above the bass beat. Fuck
Sebastian’s POVWaking up not to see the woman I had had sex with beside me was a mystery to me. Where the hell did she go? I got a grip of myself as I cleared my eyes, only to see I was naked. Oh, my god. Enough reason to know why she ran away. Ha, I’ll use this to taunt her- my runaway one-night stand. She shouldn’t be qualified as my one-night stand. I truly felt something for her but I wasn’t sure yet. Perhaps it was love when I confessed it to her.Come to think of it, how did we get here?I was getting framed for stealing a diamond ring and landed in the police station and Mother came to my rescue and got it. I looked around, picked up my things, and was about to leave when I saw a wallet under a wooden stand. It looked familiar. I picked it up and realized it was Natalie’s. It was disrespectful to open or even get involved with a lady’s purse, but my curiosity got the better part of me. There was a picture of her and her father. He seemed familiar cause why not? He was proba
Natalie’s POVI ran out of the house, my face wet from crying. I was so tired. Tired of everything. Tired of pretending to be married to Sebastian. Tired of his mom saying mean things about me. She called me a gold digger. She said I wasn’t good enough for him. It hurt so much.“Natalie, wait!” I heard Sebastian calling behind me. He was running after me, but I didn’t want to stop. I didn’t want to see him. I didn’t want to talk to him. His mom’s words kept ringing in my head, and I just couldn’t take it anymore.I reached the door, but before I could open it, Sebastian caught up. He gently grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “Natalie, stop,” he said, breathing hard. “We need to talk.”I turned to face him and wiped my face. “I can’t do this anymore, Sebastian,” I said, my voice shaking. “Your mom hates me. She always says I’m not good enough for you. I’m tired of pretending.”Sebastian looked confused. “Pretending? What are you talking about?”“This,” I said, waving my hand between us
Natalie’s POV I ran out of the house, my face wet from crying. I was so tired. Tired of everything. Tired of pretending to be married to Sebastian. Tired of his mom saying mean things about me. She called me a gold digger. She said I wasn’t good enough for him. It hurt so much. “Natalie, wait!” I heard Sebastian calling behind me. He was running after me, but I didn’t want to stop. I didn’t want to see him. I didn’t want to talk to him. His mom’s words kept ringing in my head, and I just couldn’t take it anymore. I reached the door, but before I could open it, Sebastian caught up. He gently grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “Natalie, stop,” he said, breathing hard. “We need to talk.” I turned to face him and wiped my face. “I can’t do this anymore, Sebastian,” I said, my voice shaking. “Your mom hates me. She always says I’m not good enough for you. I’m tired of pretending.” Sebastian looked confused. “Pretending? What are you talking about?” “This,” I said, waving my hand bet
Natalie’s POV I couldn’t sleep that night. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about that phone call. Who was that person? Why did they want to see me? And why now, when everything in my life was already falling apart? I kept hearing that voice over and over again: “See me.” It made my skin crawl. Sebastian stayed by my side the whole night. He didn’t say much, but I could feel how tense he was. I wasn’t the only one scared. It was like we were both waiting for something bad to happen. The next morning, I couldn’t take it anymore. I sat up in bed, looking over at Sebastian, who was awake too. He had dark circles under his eyes, and I knew he hadn’t slept either. “I have to go,” I said quietly. Sebastian looked at me, frowning. “Go where?” “I have to see this person. The one who called me. I need to know who it is.” Sebastian shook his head. “That’s too dangerous, Natalie. We don’t know who this person is or what they want.” “I know,” I said, biting my lip.
Sebastian’s POVNatalie hadn’t said a word since we left the park. Her eyes were glued to the window, but I knew she wasn’t seeing anything. She was thinking about him. Alfred. The guy who wrecked her and still had the nerve to show up and mess with her head.I hated seeing her like this, trapped in her thoughts. But I didn’t want to push her. Natalie was the type who needed time to process things, to figure out how she felt. But waiting for her to sort through this on her own was killing me.I pulled up in front of her apartment and turned off the engine, letting the silence stretch for a bit. I knew I had to say something before she spiraled deeper into whatever she was thinking, but I wasn’t sure how to start. I gripped the steering wheel, feeling the tension building inside me.Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Are you really thinking about what he said?” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm, even though I was frustrated.She turned to look at me, her face a mix of confusion
Sebastian’s POVThe night air felt thick, like it was pressing down on me. I sat on the couch, staring at my hands. My fingers were curled into fists, but I wasn’t even aware of it until I felt my nails digging into my palms.The house was quiet, except for the sound of the clock ticking. Natalie sat across from me, hugging a pillow. She wasn’t speaking. Her face was blank, but I knew what that meant. She was scared.We had every reason to be scared.A knock on the door made both of us freeze.Natalie’s grip on the pillow tightened. Her eyes snapped to mine, wide and full of fear.I stood up slowly. My heartbeat was steady, but my chest felt tight.We knew who it was. We had been waiting for him.I walked to the door and opened it.He stepped inside without a word. He was dressed in black, his expression calm, his eyes sharp. There was something about him that always made the air feel colder.He sat down, resting his elbows on his knees. His gaze moved between me and Natalie.“I have
Natalie’s POVThe house was quiet. Too quiet.I sat on the couch, staring at the empty wall. The silence wrapped around me, thick and heavy, like a wet blanket I couldn’t shake off. It wasn’t the kind of silence that felt peaceful. It was the kind that screamed and wish everything could just end.Cause why the hell was this happening? What have we done wrong to deserve this from Iris, Samantha,a nd Sebastian's stepfather…Regarding his stepfather, Sebastian has a lot of explaining to do. Why is he making our stay here traumatic?Sebastian was in the kitchen. I could hear the sound of water running, the faint clinking of a glass against the counter. He wasn’t talking. He hadn’t said much since we got here. He was thinking, planning, trying to figure out how to fix what they took from us.I pulled my knees up to my chest, hugging them tight. My fingers curled into the fabric of my jeans. I felt cold, even though the room wasn’t. Maybe it was because everything I knew was gone. Stolen. B
Sebastian’s POVI drove fast. The tires screeched as I swerved past slower cars, my hands gripping the wheel like it was the only thing keeping me together. The city lights blurred outside the window, and the farther we went, the darker the roads became.Natalie sat beside me, her arms crossed, staring out the window. She hadn’t said much since we left. I could hear her breathing - deep, slow, controlled -:but I knew she was barely holding it together.I wasn’t either.Everything was gone. Our name, reputation…. everything. My stepfather had taken it all, with Iris and Samantha right by his side. They hadn’t just stolen from us; they had destroyed us.I swallowed the anger rising in my throat. It burned like fire, but I couldn’t let it consume me. Not yet.The silence in the car was thick, almost suffocating. Finally, Natalie spoke. “Where are we going?”“Away,” I muttered.She sighed. “I know that. But where?”I hesitated. “Another city. A safe place. Somewhere no one can find us.”S
Natalie's POV I paced back and forth in the living room, my arms wrapped tightly around myself, my heart hammering against my ribs. The air between Sebastian and me was thick, the weight of our argument pressing down on us like an invisible force. I hated fighting with him. We had been through so much together, and yet, here we wereon opposite sides, again.Sebastian sat on the couch, rubbing his temples, his expression tight. His usual calm demeanor was cracked, revealing the frustration bubbling beneath the surface.“Natalie, we can’t keep doing this,” he said finally, his voice rough with exhaustion. “We have to decide what to do next.”I stopped pacing and turned to face him, my arms still crossed over my chest. “And you think going public is the answer?” My voice came out sharper than I intended. “Do you really believe we can control the narrative? The media will twist everything we say, Sebastian. This could getl out of control.”He exhaled slowly, shaking his head. “Then what
Sebastian’s POVI sat at the small table in our hotel room, flipping through pages of notes and screenshots on my laptop. My eyes burned from lack of sleep, but I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when we were so close.Natalie was curled up on the bed, scrolling through her phone. She had been quiet for a while, too quiet. I knew she was thinking, just like me. Thinking of how to bring Iris down.“This isn’t enough,” I muttered.Natalie glanced up. “I know.”I rubbed my face and leaned back in the chair. We had gathered messages, emails, a few receipts—stuff that hinted at Iris’s shady deals, but nothing solid enough to destroy her. People like her didn’t leave obvious trails. She was too smart for that.“We need someone who can make sense of all this,” Natalie said, sitting up. “Someone who can dig deeper.”I frowned. “Like who?”“A journalist. An investigator. Someone who isn’t scared of her.”I let out a dry laugh. “Good luck finding one.”Natalie bit her lip. “I can try.”I watched her
Sebastian’s POVI sat at the small table in our hotel room, flipping through pages of notes and screenshots on my laptop. My eyes burned from lack of sleep, but I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when we were so close.Natalie was curled up on the bed, scrolling through her phone. She had been quiet for a while, too quiet. I knew she was thinking, just like me. Thinking of how to bring Iris down.“This isn’t enough,” I muttered.Natalie glanced up. “I know.”I rubbed my face and leaned back in the chair. We had gathered messages, emails, a few receipts—stuff that hinted at Iris’s shady deals, but nothing solid enough to destroy her. People like her didn’t leave obvious trails. She was too smart for that.“We need someone who can make sense of all this,” Natalie said, sitting up. “Someone who can dig deeper.”I frowned. “Like who?”“A journalist. An investigator. Someone who isn’t scared of her.”I let out a dry laugh. “Good luck finding one.”Natalie bit her lip. “I can try.”I watched her
Natalie’s POVThe hotel room was too quiet. Uncomfortably so that I began hearing voices in my head.Sebastian had booked a private suite, far from the city, far from the reporters, and far from the god forsaken Iris. But no amount of distance could erase what had happened.I sat on the edge of the bed, my hands resting on my lap. My fingers felt stiff, like they weren’t mine. My chest was heavy, my throat dry. The shock of everything still hadn’t fully left me, but now that we were alone, reality was settling in.Iris had done this to me.She had called the reporters, leaked the news, and thrown me under the bus. And for what? To ruin me? To see me crumble?I swallowed hard. She had won. Again.Sebastian sat across from me, elbows on his knees, hands clasped. The car ride here had been silent, his grip on the wheel tight, his jaw clenched.Now, he looked like he wanted to say something but was waiting for me to go first.I didn’t.“Natalie.” His voice was quiet, careful.I blinked an
(Sebastian’s POV)The cameras kept flashing. The reporters kept shouting. My head was pounding.I grabbed Natalie’s arm and pulled her toward me. She was frozen, her eyes wide, her breathing shallow. The shock had taken over."Move," I said, my voice low but firm. She didn’t react. She just stared ahead like she wasn’t even here.The reporters pushed closer. They shoved microphones in our faces."Natalie, how do you feel about your sister's betrayal?""Sebastian, do you have a comment on the leaked reports?""Iris, why did you do it?"I clenched my jaw and turned to Iris. She was calm. Too calm. Like she wasn’t standing in the middle of the mess she made."Did you call them?" I asked, my voice sharp.Iris shrugged. "They were coming anyway. I just made it easier."Rage boiled inside me, but I had no time for her. I had to get Natalie out of here.I tightened my grip on her wrist. "We have to go."She didn’t move."Now, Natalie," I said again.This time, she blinked and looked at me. T
(Natalie’s POV)I was done crying. My head hurt, my eyes felt swollen, and my body was just… tired. I had spent the last two days in my apartment, ignoring calls, ignoring the news, ignoring everything. But no matter how much I tried, the anger wouldn’t go away.Sebastian had destroyed everything.I used to think he was different, that he wasn’t like the rest of them. But I was wrong. He was just another liar who thought he could get away with anything because he had money.I stared at my phone. Twenty missed calls from him. I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to listen to his excuses.A knock on my door.I ignored it. Probably a neighbor or some delivery mistake.Another knock. Louder."Natalie, open the door."Sebastian.My hands clenched into fists. Of course he was here. He just couldn’t leave things alone. I got up, marched to the door, and swung it open.He looked like hell. His suit was wrinkled, his tie was gone, and his hair was a mess. His eyes were wild, like he had been running