Natalie's POV When I got home after a long, tiring day at the office, I was ready to just sit down and rest. I had taken off my shoes right from the car, cause no one's going to stress no girl. The house was quiet. Then I saw Sebastian standing by the window. He was staring outside, his eyes fixed on the lights in the distance. He looked deep in thought, like he was thinking about something important.I walked over slowly. “Sebastian?” I said softly. “Is everything okay?”He didn’t answer at first. He just kept looking outside, not turning to look at me. I waited for him to say something, but he stayed quiet. I started to feel a little worried. I had never seen him this quiet before.Then, all of a sudden, he turned and looked at me. His eyes were soft, and he had a small, sad smile on his face. Without saying a word, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a big, warm hug. I was surprised at first, but I hugged him back. His arms felt safe, and I could feel his heartbeat, f
Chapter 40I sat at the dining table. Breakfast was ready, and everything looked perfect. We had pancakes, eggs, fresh fruit, and even some sweet treats. Normally, I’d enjoy it, but today I felt too distracted to really care.Mom sat across from me, looking serious. I knew that look. She had something to say, something she thought was important. She picked up her glass of orange juice and took a small sip, watching me as if she was waiting for the right moment.“Sebastian,” she finally said, smiling. “I talked to Samantha recently. She reached out to me.”I froze. Hearing that name made my heart beat faster. It seemed Samantha was up to no good. I had made it clear to her I was married, what else does she want now?Mom kept talking, her voice calm and smooth. “Samantha is looking to be a part of the company. She thinks she could bring some fresh ideas to our company, and I agree. I think she would be a good fit.” She gave me a hopeful look, like she was waiting for me to smile or agre
Chapter 41 Natalie’s POV There was something about the way Sebastian moved lately—slow, almost like he was carrying something heavy that nobody else could see. He’d sit down, pick up his phone, scroll through a few messages, and then put it down like it was something painful to hold. I noticed the change in him first at breakfast, then at dinner, and now it seemed to follow him everywhere, like a shadow only I could see.Today, we were sitting in the living room, and I couldn’t keep quiet any longer. I leaned back on the couch, watching him, trying to catch his gaze. He’d look up at me, give me a half-hearted smile, then quickly glance away, back to his phone or just down at his hands. That wasn’t like Sebastian. Normally, he’d give me one of his big, warm grins, the kind that made me feel like I was the only person in his world. But today, his world seemed to be somewhere else, somewhere far away from me. “Sebastian?” I said softly, my voice gentle but firm. He looked up, a bit
Chapter 42: Sebastian's POVWould I be considered a frog for pretending to go to bed after Natalie had spoken peace to my soul? I couldn't find myself sleeping. And please, don't think I'm overreacting or being immature for putting up with this kind of behavior. Only the bitten one knows how to avoid the serpent.I had gone to make myself a cup of coffee to perhaps bring my thoughts to calm,but no. It was all to no avail. The house was too quiet. It made my thoughts louder, and I didn’t like it. I couldn’t sleep. Natalie was beside me, sleeping soundly. I could hear her steady breathing, but it didn’t calm me. My mind was stuck on Samantha.I turned to look at Natalie. Her face was soft in the dim light from the window. She always looked so peaceful when she slept. I wished I could feel the same, but my chest felt tight. I lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling, hoping the heaviness would go away. It didn’t.Finally, I got up. The floor was cold under my feet, and I tried not
Chapter 43Sebastian's POVThe meeting with Samantha stayed in my head all night. I tried to shake it off, but it didn’t work. Her smile, her words, the way she talked—it was too smooth. Too perfect. People like Samantha didn’t change overnight. Hell, they didn’t change at all.I had returned home after a terrible meeting headed by mom and Samantha and I'd gladly proclaim it the worst meeting of my life.Natalie noticed I was off. She didn’t push, though. She never did. “You’ll figure it out,” she told me before bed. I nodded, but I didn’t know if I believed it.Come to think of it, it seemed as though this marriage of a thing we thought wouldn't see the end of day is what's being so flawless. I bless the day I met her.The next morning, I woke up tired. I’d barely slept. Natalie was still in bed, curled up under the blanket. I made coffee, hoping it’d help me think clearer.What was Samantha really up to? Was she trying to make Mom happy? Or was she playing some long game? Knowing he
Chapter 44Natalie's POVThe day started normal enough. I wasn’t thinking about Samantha, or Sebastian, or anything heavy. Just errands. I needed to go shopping. Sebastian didn’t like shopping much, so I decided to go alone. I didn’t mind - it gave me a chance to clear my head.It was sunny but not too hot. A good day to be out. I parked at the boutique, and headed inside. I had a list on my phone: just usual stuff. Nothing special.I was almost done shopping when I felt it. That weird feeling like someone’s watching you. I brushed it off at first. The boutique was busy. Lots of people around. It was probably nothing.But then it didn’t go away.I looked over my shoulder, pretending to check my phone. There was a man standing near a different aisle, just staring. He wasn’t tall, not short either. Average-looking. He had a black cap pulled low over his face and wore a plain jacket. Nothing about him screamed danger, but the way he stared... it was off.I ignored him and moved to the n
Sebastian’s POVI stood there for a second after she handed me the piece of paper, just staring at the address on it. Natalie was still sitting, her hands shaking, her face pale. I knew she was scared, but I couldn’t show it. I had to be calm. For her, at least.“What did he say exactly?” I asked, trying to sound normal.I didn’t like the way she looked at me. Like she was waiting for some kind of reassurance I couldn’t give her. There was a part of me that wanted to tell her it was nothing, that she didn’t need to worry. But I knew better than that. This wasn’t nothing.“He... he said you need to meet someone,” she said, her voice trembling. “That if you don’t, things will get bad. Really bad.”I folded the paper again, shoving it into my pocket. “Don’t worry about it, okay? I’ll take care of it.”I hated saying that. Hated lying to her, but what else could I do? I couldn’t tell her the truth—not yet. I needed to figure this out first. It didn’t matter who this guy was or why he was
I couldn’t shake the feeling that Sebastian was hiding something from me. As he stood by the window, staring out like it could give him the answers he needed, I just watched. His back was turned, but I could still see how tense his shoulders were. He was acting like nothing had happened, but I knew better.“Sebastian,” I called out, trying to keep my voice steady. “You’re not telling me everything, and I need to know what’s going on.”He didn’t move, didn’t respond. I was starting to get frustrated. This wasn’t how things were supposed to be. I wasn’t just going to back down because he didn’t want to talk. I couldn’t let him keep me in the dark when everything felt off.“I’m serious,” I continued. “Who was that man? And why come to me instead of you? What’s going on that I don’t know about?”Finally, he turned around, his face unreadable. He looked at me, then looked away, like he was weighing something in his mind. “I didn’t want you involved, Natalie. That’s all. You’re better off n
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