Sebastian’s POVI wasn’t supposed to be here. I knew that. But here I was, standing in front of Samantha’s apartment. The whole thing felt like a bad joke, one that I couldn’t get out of. I told myself this was the last time. I had said it before, but somehow, it always seemed to pull me back in. I knocked on the door, my heart pounding, but not because I was nervous. It was because I knew I’d regret this.The door opened, and there she stood - smiling like nothing had ever changed. Like it was just another normal night between us. “Hey, stranger,” she said, stepping aside to let me in.I didn’t reply. I didn’t know what to say. The air between us felt tense, but it was the kind of tension that was familiar. The kind that didn’t need words. I walked in, and she shut the door behind me.It didn’t take long for the usual silence to settle in. Samantha was always good at that - filling the space with her presence, even if it was just her being there. I hated how much she knew about me. H
When I woke up this morning, if someone had tapped me and told me that the world as I knew it would come crashing down today, I would have laughed and said they were bluffing.But it is amazing how the worst can happen, at moments when we least expect it.I was smiling when I walked up the pathway to Alfred’s house, the warm June sun casting a golden glow over everything. It was one of those perfect days that seemed tailor-made for surprises. My heart raced with excitement, and I clutched the small gift I had brought for him—an antique watch he had been eyeing for months. Today marked our two-year anniversary, and I wanted to make it special.The front door creaked as I pushed it open, stepping into the cool, air-conditioned sitting room, where I found Marlene, the housekeeper, dusting a vase in the living room.“Hi Marlene!” I greeted her with a warm smile. “Where’s Alfred? I have a little surprise for him.”“Oh, Miss Natalie, he’s inside the house, resting,” she replied, returning
The world seemed to tilt, my knees threatening to give way beneath me. This couldn’t be happening. This had to be some kind of nightmare. But as I looked into Iris’s triumphant face and Alfred’s regretful eyes, I knew it was real. “How could you?” I whispered, more to myself than to them.Iris crossed her arms, her expression unyielding. “Because it’s about time I got what I deserve. You’ve always been the perfect one, the chosen one. Well, not anymore.”With that, she turned on her heel and walked back toward the house, leaving me standing there in shock. Alfred lingered for a moment, looking like he wanted to say something, but then he followed Iris without another word.I watched them go, my mind spinning. Everything I had known, everything I had believed in, was a lie. My father’s legacy, my love for Alfred, my bond with Iris—it was all gone, ripped away in the cruellest way possible.I sank to my knees, the gravel biting into my skin, but I hardly felt it. It is all gone.The r
Headache.That was the first thing I noticed, as I opened my eyes and closed it again to adjust better to the brightness of the day.Raging headache. It felt like my head was on fire.Pure mad headache.I opened my eyes again and stared at the very unfamiliar ceiling, and with a start looked around the room - but I was in a strange place. A room that looked like a hotel room.This wasn’t my hotel room. The bed was too large, the sheets too luxurious. Panic began to set in, but the throbbing in my head was too intense for me to move much. I tried to think, to piece together the events of the previous night, but everything was a blur.Suddenly, the sound of a toilet flushing jolted me further into consciousness. The bathroom door creaked open, and a man walked into the room. He was wearing nothing but a towel tied around his waist. I tilted my head staring at him. He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place him.He caught my eye and gave me a knowing smile. “Good morning. How a
The satisfaction I felt knew no bounds as I watched Alfred and Iris' eyes widen in shock.Boom!I resisted the urge to go to their stupid faces and snap my fingers at them. “What!” Iris yelled, gaze darting frantically between Sebastian and I, “what?!”“Surely there must be a mistake,” she said with a chuckle and turned to Mr Knight, “Natalie can't possibly be -”“Natalie is my wife. And I demand you speak with some respect.”Dayumm.“This is a joke. Mr Knight I have no idea how she managed to lure you, deceive you into marrying her but Natalie is nothing but a low life. She has nothing and is not capable of anything except using her body to woo men.”You've got to be kidding me.I Clenched my fists as anger flared in me but I decided to not respond.“Like I said Miss Wilson,” Sebastian stated calmly, “you will speak to my wife with disrespect.”Iris' jaw dropped and I smirked when her gaze shifted to me.“Shameless whore!” She spat, “so that's what you've been doing huh? Throwing yo
I would have undoubtedly thought I had crossed the line the moment I made that statement,but Natalie never stops at leaving me in awe.“Alright,” she said. But before she responded, a disappointed scoff ran through her curled lips. Just then, I knew she was determined to get what she wanted.“I think we're good then, wife.” I pressed forward towards her as I shot a grin.“On one condition.”Hm, the lass with the conditions. I hoped it wasn't something serious. “I'm all ears.” “No strings attached. No feelings, just raw sex.”I paused. “Sure.”“Then we're good. Do have a nice day, husband.” She laid emphasis on husband as though she was insinuating something - something I couldn't seem to lay hands on as she turned on her heels and left, shutting the door behind her.I must say I'm pleased and intrigued by her - the way she makes unpredictable decisions…even though I had just known her for less than forty eight hours. Stupidly insane.I somehow needed to know more about my Natalie la
Anger still surged through me as I did , returning to that godforsaken house. Damn it. Knowing I had to see their face again made me feel strangely stupid.I finally reached and got a grip of myself. Me showing them they could annoy me gave them more power.I went in as my eyes roamed the sitting room. It was nowhere to be found. Just then, mother walked in, her voice shifting my attention to her.“I knew you would come back.” If only she knew why.“Can I have my phone back?” “Come over here, Sebastian. I want to talk. I want us to talk.” “What if I say there's no room for that?” “You don't have an option here, just listen to me.” I felt a chill down my spine as a trickle of tears ran down her face. I wasn't sorry she cried. I just didn't know what came over me that I listened so that she could do the talking.“I'm all ears.” I tried to hide my frustration and impatience. “Bear in mind that I don't have all night.” “What has come over you, son? “ The statement I hated hearing.
I took a taxi back to my house. No, scratch that. My previous house as it seemed. I'd never expected a day like this to come. The day that the mansion my own father left for me; in my name would be taken away all because of the blind trust I had in someone.Ridiculously funny. Now I know better. Moral of the story, trust no one.Surprisingly I didn't go through the heartbreak phase of weeping day in day out with tissues scattered around and me looking like some rotten cheese.I was still in my “sexy black dress” as I noticed the driver glancing at me through the rare mirror. I knew I was the temptation here.“I don't see any ring on your finger ma'am.” He stroked his tongue against his lower lip.“I'd be merciful enough to pretend you didn't speak; drive.” I'd have definitely given him a hard knock on his bald shining-armor head for trying to mess with me, but I'd let it slide just because I wore something that exposed me .“Stop here,” I said and highlighted the vehicle. I had pai
Sebastian’s POVI wasn’t supposed to be here. I knew that. But here I was, standing in front of Samantha’s apartment. The whole thing felt like a bad joke, one that I couldn’t get out of. I told myself this was the last time. I had said it before, but somehow, it always seemed to pull me back in. I knocked on the door, my heart pounding, but not because I was nervous. It was because I knew I’d regret this.The door opened, and there she stood - smiling like nothing had ever changed. Like it was just another normal night between us. “Hey, stranger,” she said, stepping aside to let me in.I didn’t reply. I didn’t know what to say. The air between us felt tense, but it was the kind of tension that was familiar. The kind that didn’t need words. I walked in, and she shut the door behind me.It didn’t take long for the usual silence to settle in. Samantha was always good at that - filling the space with her presence, even if it was just her being there. I hated how much she knew about me. H
Natalie’s POVI stared at the door f4r a long time after he stopped talking. I didn’t move, didn’t even blink. My head was full, but at the same time, it felt empty. His words were still playing in my mind, but I didn’t know what to do with them.He was still out there. I could hear his breathing, slow and heavy, like he was just waiting. Maybe he thought I’d open the door. Maybe he thought I’d forgive him.But I didn’t. I couldn’t. And perhaps I won’t.I got up from the floor slowly, my legs still shaky. The room felt colder than before, but maybe it was just me. I walked to the window and looked outside. The sky was still gray, like it couldn’t decide if it wanted to rain or not.My suitcase was still in the corner of the room. I thought about packing it again. Maybe this time I wouldn’t just sit there staring at it. Maybe this time I’d actually leave.But where would I go?I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, my hands gripping the sheets. My head was spinning. I wanted to screa
Sebastian’s POVI sat on the couch, staring at the empty glass in my hand. The bottle of whiskey was on the table, but I hadn’t touched it since I poured the first drink. My head was a mess. Nothing made sense.The house was too quiet. I could hear the clock ticking, and my own breathing. But I couldn’t hear her. No footsteps. No soft humming. No sound of her moving around upstairs.Natalie.I ran a hand through my hair, tugging at it out of frustration. I was so mad at myself. Everything felt wrong. I’d screwed up. Again.Why did I let Samantha talk to her like that? Why didn’t I say something? Why didn’t I do anything? I just stood there like an idiot, watching Natalie’s face fall apart.I leaned back on the couch and closed my eyes. I could still see her standing there, looking at me like I’d betrayed her. And I guess I had.I groaned, rubbing my face with both hands. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. None of this was supposed to happen.I looked at my phone sitting on th
Natalie’s POVI locked the door and leaned against it. My chest was tight, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Tears were already streaming down my face, but I didn’t bother wiping them. What was the point? They just kept coming anyway.I walked to the bed, but halfway there, my legs gave out. I just sat on the floor, staring at nothing. Everything hurt. My chest, my throat, my head. It was like the sadness had taken over my whole body, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.Why did I let myself get into this mess? Why did I think I could handle this?I hugged my knees, trying to hold myself together. But it wasn’t working. I felt like I was falling apart, like the pieces of me were breaking one by one.Samantha. That name kept playing in my head like an echo. Samantha. Samantha. Samantha. She ruined everything. And the worst part? I couldn’t even blame her completely. She wasn’t the one who dragged me into this.That was hi
Sebastian's POVI sat on the edge of the couch, staring at the floor. My chest felt tight, and my head was pounding. Natalie’s words replayed in my mind, over and over. Coward. She’d called me a coward. The one person I thought understood me, the one person who was supposed to be on my side, didn’t believe in me anymore.I couldn’t blame her. I really couldn’t. Everything was a mess, and it was my fault. She was right about that. I started this whole thing - faking a marriage to protect my business, dragging her into it, convincing her it was the best move for both of us. And now Samantha was holding it all over my head, dangling my life’s work like it was some kind of game to her.I rubbed my face, trying to think straight, but my thoughts were all over the place. I hated Samantha, hated her smug little smile when she walked out of here like she owned the world. But more than that, I hated myself. How did it come to this? How did I let her get this much control?Natalie’s voice echoe
Chapter 54: Sebastian’s POVSamantha leaned back in the chair like she had all the time in the world. Her eyes flicked between Natalie and me, and there was a smirk on her face that made my skin crawl.“I want one night,” she said finally, her voice calm and sharp.Natalie stiffened beside me, and I felt her anger radiate like heat. “One night for what?” she snapped.Samantha’s smirk deepened. “With Sebastian.”I blinked, sure I had heard her wrong. “What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice flat.She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “It’s simple, really. You spend one night with me, Sebastian, and I keep your little secret. No one has to know you’re not married.”Natalie stood up so fast her chair scraped against the floor. “Are you insane?” she said, her voice rising. “That’s not happening.”Samantha shrugged, completely unfazed. “Your choice. But if you refuse, Iris will know by morning.”I could feel the blood drain from my face. This wasn’t just about me or
Chapter 53: Sebastian’s POVAs we walked into the cafe, Natalie almost bumped into a guy. sh was at the verge of raising her voice, but I had to stop her. I knew she was exhausted and everything raised her temper at this point. We went in and Natalie sat beside me, her back straight, her hands folded so tightly her knuckles were turning white. I could feel the tension around her already, and honestly, I felt the same way. Samantha stood in front of us, leaning casually against the wall like she owned the place. Her expression was smug, too smug, and I hated it.I shifted in my seat, clearing my throat. “Alright, Samantha. We’re here. Say what you need to say.” My voice came out steadier than I expected, but my heart was pounding in my chest.She smirked. That irritating smirk. “Finally. I was starting to think you’d never ask.”Natalie’s voice was sharp, cutting through the room like a knife. “Stop playing games, Samantha. If you’ve got something to say, just spit it out.”Samantha
Natalie’s POVI didn’t think. I just leaned forward and kissed him.Sebastian was in the middle of saying something, pacing back and forth like he always did when he was thinking too much. His hand was halfway in his hair, and his mouth opened, probably to argue with me again about some plan he wasn’t ready to share. But I didn’t care. I just kissed him.For a moment, he froze. I felt his body stiffen, and I was about to pull away, embarrassed. Maybe I’d crossed a line. Maybe this was too much. But then his hand cupped the side of my face, and he kissed me back.It wasn’t slow or sweet. It was rushed, like he was trying to say something he couldn’t put into words. His grip was firm, almost desperate, and it caught me off guard.When he finally pulled back, he stared at me, his chest rising and falling like he’d been running. “What… what was that?” he asked, his voice a little hoarse.“I—” I hesitated, trying to find the right words. “I don’t know. I just… I’m tired, Sebastian. Tired o
Chapter 51: Sebastian's POVI stayed in the living room for a while after Natalie left. My thoughts were all over the place. Part of me was glad she agreed to fight back, but I still wasn’t sure if she could handle it. She looked so tired, so drained. I couldn’t blame her. Iris and Alfred had put her through hell.I rubbed my face and leaned back in the chair. My eyes wandered around the room, not really looking at anything, until they landed on something on the coffee table. A piece of paper. I frowned. That wasn’t there before.I picked it up and looked at it. It wasn’t just a random piece of paper—it was a note. The handwriting was messy, but I could still read it.“Iris and Alfred aren’t as untouchable as they think. I know their secrets. Meet me at the old warehouse on Maple Street tomorrow night at 9. Come alone.”I stared at the note, my mind racing. Who the hell left this? How did they even get in here? I didn’t hear anyone come in, and Natalie was here the whole time.Then it