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 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
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
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
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 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 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 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
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