Kourtney stood, perplexed. âDonât you want to know what happened?â âI donât care what happened. But I know you are right to slap whoever,â Sebastian chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.He grinned like he just heard the best news all year round.Her eyes met his, and for a moment, they just stared at each other.Before she could gather her thoughts to speak, the ladies who had been at the tea party walked up to them, their faces pinched with disapproval. "Sebastian, you won't believe what your wife just did," one of the older ladies said with malice.Sebastian turned his piercing gaze toward them. His expression was cold and menacing, with eyes flashing with warning. "I think I can guess. But let me make one thing clear: my wife is off-limits. Anyone who dares to cross her will have to answer to me."âButâbut she slapped my daughter, Sheila!â Sheilaâs mother protested, her voice trembling.âI don't care. What I care about is that my wife was disrespected, and thus, she reacte
Edwin raised his hands in mock surrender.âWoah! I bet no one so that coming,â he was amazed.At first, he had been super worried for Kourtney but, seemed like he wouldnât need to be.She could certainly take care of herself.He loved that she was a fighter who couldnât be bullied by those lots.He liked his new sister-in-law a lot!âMind doing us the Honour of an introduction?ââI wonât.ââCome on, donât be such a buzzkill. Iâm really eager to meet her,â Edwin stressed.The corners of Sebastianâs mouth betrayed a smile as he still stood up anyway.He had pretended to be nonchalant to Edwinâs request, but deep down, he was silently glad he could finally introduce Kourtney to the one person he rolled with the most among the Woods clan.As they walked into the kitchen, the air was filled with the delicious aroma of spices. Kourtney was in her element, wearing an apron, surrounded by some female members of the family and a few staff, all busily preparing dinner. She was slicing vegetable
The shift in conversation was immediate. The women around the table erupted into excited chatter.âOh, I found the most stunning dress at Marissaâs Boutique!â Sheilaâs sister, Sophie, exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. âItâs this deep emerald green, and I think it will look fabulous with my new earrings.âEmerald? How clichĂ©!â Another one scoffed. âIâm going with a daring crimson red. Itâs bold, just like me.â Meanwhile, Kourtney tried to maintain her composure, but was finding it difficult.Sebastian, ever the observant husband, noticed the sudden change in her mood.He leaned closer to her. âWhatâs wrong?âKourtney took a deep breath, feeling a rush of nerves as she spoke. âI...Iâm actually the one in charge of planning that event.âSebastianâs mood instantly lit up with pride radiating from him. âOh yeah! You did mention it before!âHe couldnât contain his excitement and announced it loudly across the table, âEveryone, my wife is the main event planner for the Silverstone Gala! She wo
The next day began with a shocking twist.The atmosphere in the Woods household had been buzzing with the sound of clinking cups and soft chatter in the living room as numerous members of the family enjoyed their usual Sunday morning tea and pastries.But the moment the local news channel flickered to life on the television, everything changed.âBreaking news, everybody. After five long years, supermodel Scarlet Thompson has just returned to the city.âThe room immediately fell silent, every eye glued to the screen.The news anchor continued with a bright smile that barely masked the excitement in her voice, âThe blonde-haired beauty, known for her stunning figure and ethereal charm, has made a name for herself as a successful international model and one of the highest-paid in the worldwide industry. Her reappearance in Melbourne is already sending ripples through the entire city with thousands of fans gathered at the airport to give her a befitting welcome this morning.ââWow! Sheâs
Back in her bedroom, Dana Woods and her daughters, Sheila and Sophie, had also seen the news about Scarlet. They became wrapped up in their own discussion.âLook at all these comments online,â Sophie said, happily scrolling through her phone. âPeople are going wild! âScarletâs back and itâs about time!ââThis is great news for us. Turns out that Kourtney wouldnât be staying long as the Woods's young mistress, after all,â Dana sneered with spite. âScarlet is an interesting girl. She is definitely back to claim her rightful place beside Sebastian.ââAre you sure about that, Mother?â Sheilaâs bitter voice echoed through the bedroom. âDo you think heâd leave Kourtney just like that? You canât deny sheâs a force of nature!ââOh, honey. Iâm one hundred percent sure he has never been able to get over Scarlet. He never remained the same after she left. And now, we just need to make her our ally. Kourtney doesnât even stand a chance!âDana was very certain of this.She had a sleepless night plo
âSo you had no idea she was coming?â Edwin pestered.âI donât!âSebastian, who had been sipping his glass of whiskey, answered in his usual stoic tone.But beneath his composed exterior was a man in complete disarray.The name Scarlet Thompson sent a jolt through him, memories flooding back from a time when he was young and infatuated. She was his first love, the one woman who had held his heart captive all those years ago.He felt a pang of somethingânostalgia, perhaps?Or was it something deeper?But why now?What could bring her back after all this time?***********Later that day, at the grand dining room of the Woods estate, the smell of fresh savory dishes filled the air as the family gathered for their traditional Sunday afternoon brunch.Kourtney could feel the buzzing tension around the table.The familyâs whispers were like daggers.She could hear tiny bits of their discussions.It was still all about the Scarlet Lady.She felt like she couldnât breathe properly.And Sebasti
Kourtneyâs steps were light as she approached the ornate double doors to Sebastianâs study on the uppermost floor of the Woods villa. He had left immediately after lunch, saying he had some important work to handle.She hissed, still a little hurt just thinking about it.It was Sunday, and she wondered what was so important that couldnât wait till a work day.And how long would it take for him to handle the sudden emergency?She needed a breather from all the drama unfolding after the news of Scarletâs arrival. Since her husband had left her all alone to her fate in the hands of his wicked aunts and other relatives who hated her guts, Kourtney knew it would be wise to just stay in her lane and not go back downstairs till when necessary.She pushed the doors open gently, not wanting to disturb the sanctity of his space. It was built and designed just like the one they had at Serenity Villa.Seems like the man took his bland and boring style so seriously. There was not even a single bri
âMaybe that's why he still refused to let go of their old memories,â Kourtney continued talking to herself.She knew these images would be etched in her mind for a long time, a constant reminder of the love that had existed long before she came into the picture. Tears threatening to spill gathered in her eyes as she squatted down to pick up the photos.But on second thought, she felt a surge of defiance. She decided not to pick them up. Somehow, she wanted Sebastian to know she saw them without having to confront him about it.Did she even have the guts to bring it up?How could she possibly question him about something so personal?The thought sent a shiver down her spine.What would she even say to him? âHey, Sebastian, I found a box of your ex-girlfriend's photos, and Iâm feeling a bit insecure about itâ? That would sound like the ramblings of a jealous, obsessive woman, and she was determined not to be that person.She didnât want to come off as the psychotic wife who couldn't ha
When Kourtney finally arrived at the venue of the event, it was already noon. The Silverstone Gala would be starting in less than six hours, as the red carpet unveiling was set for 6 PM.She was so damn late!As she got out of the car, she could feel her head being served on a food platter, especially since she was the head planner.Rushing through the entrance, her heart raced in her chest. âKourt, are you insane? Where the hell have you been?â Irina was the first to spot her. Her tone was filled with disbelief and urgency.âI...Iâm sorry. IâŠI lost track of time!â Kourtney stammered, trying to catch her breath.âLost track of time? On your biggest day ever?!â Irinaâs voice rose, and Kourtney winced.She knew Irina didnât mean to be harsh, but the pressure was boiling over.A pit of anxiety settled in her stomach.Inside her head, she could hear herself cursing Sebastian with the most aggressive curse words she knew. If it hadnât been for the man, she wouldnât be in this mess, scrambl
The next morning, the insistent buzz of the alarm jolted Kourtney awake. It was 6 am, and the sound felt like a personal attack.She groaned, reaching out to hit the snooze button, but then she remembered.The Silverstone Gala! She had to be there early to oversee the final preparations. Everything depended on her. She needed to be on time.After a night like the one they had just had, she wanted nothing more than to stay in bed, but duty called. The thought of the gala gave her a fresh surge of energy.With a sigh, she sat up, ready to start the day. She knew she'd be exhausted as usual after a long night of lovemaking, so she had set the alarm to wake her.However, as she made a move to get out of bed, a strong arm snaked around her waist, stopping her in her tracks.âWhere are you going?â Sebastianâs voice was a low growl, still thick with sleep.âUhh⊠I need to go to the venueâŠâ She paused, trying to formulate the sentence.âThe Silverstone gala, it's today!â she finished.Sebast
Kourtney’s cheeks burned hot as realization dawned upon her. She knew him so well already. It wasn't hard to connect the dots.His words werea subtle reminder that what he really desired right now had nothing to do with dinner; it was her.This man!He was always in the mood.Oh, how he could twist her inside out with just one teasing phrase!“I—I’ll go take a shower!” she stammered.It was amusing how easily he could unbalance her. It didn’t take much for Sebastian to evoke these feelings in her. She didn’t even turn to look back as she hurried toward the stairs with a red face.Sebastian chuckled softly, watching with amusement as Kourtney ran up the stairs like a scared little kitten. She was always adorable when flustered,but it only fueled his craving.It made him want her even more!And right now, the more pressing concern for him was the growing hardness of his
âI know. Right? But I have learned that you need to defend yourself if you want to survive in this wicked world.ââYouâre lucky you have your husband to teach you,â Lilian said with a small smile. It was obvious Kourtney changed only after marrying Sebastian. She had to give the man his credit.âYes, I am. He always says that I have to stand up for myself. Thatâs what I did.ââI love the two of you! I'm glad you have him to teach you. Finally, youâre no longer the pushover Kourtney I used to know. And I canât believe heâs so generous giving you a card like that! Thatâs fuucking insane! Heâs so Daddddyyy.ââYes! Heâs the best,â Kourtney blushed, daydreaming about the man.âWhat should I cook for him when I get home?â She pondered to herself.Or perhaps she could give him a neck and shoulder massage!Or maybe.......Suddenly, the waiter brought their ice cream. Kourtney snapped out of her thoughts and got the vanilla while Lilian got the strawberry. They dug in and didnât speak for a w
Scarlet took a deep breath and straightened her spine, knowing she was losing this battle but unwilling to surrender gracefully.âI dare you to tell me who you are and where you got that card!âKourtney smiled, the victory sweet on her lips as she glanced around the store; everyone looked at her with so much surprise, admiration, and newfound respect, which gave her so much confidence.Turned out Sebastian knew what he was doing when he gave her this black card that day!It commanded so much authority.Today, she might have walked in as a humble shopper, but she would leave wearing a crown, and that was a win in her book.âI donât think I have to answer you. It is none of your business.â She turned her head, dismissing Scarlet with a wave of her hand.Scarletâs face boiled with rage. âYou have no idea who youâre dealing with.âRight now, she was trembling at the edge of sanity.Kourtney remained unyielding, snapping her fingers as she said mockingly. âOh, please. Are you that desperat
âShe is theââKourtney hastily placed a hand over Lilianâs big mouth, desperate to prevent the truth from emerging.âDonât, Lil,â she pleaded, her eyes wide.Scarlet watched their little display with irritation.Holding onto her self-importance, she said mockingly. âYeah! I thought as much! Sheâs a nobody. Take it off!âThe condescension dripped from her words.Kourtney felt annoyance ripple through her, but she remained composed. She was the Woods family's young mistress. She was not going to let this woman intimidate her.Deep down, she recognized Scarlet's magnificent beauty; it was undeniable.But beauty without grace?That was something Kourtney could hardly respect. She bit her lip, trying to contain herself, as her mind raced with thoughts of how she could salvage the situation without revealing her connection to Sebastian here like this.Feeling the tension rising, Kourtney decided it was time to play her hand. âSince she wants to make this into an auction, letâs see! I would
The other shoppers began to circle around them like vultures, curious about the unfolding drama. Whispers fluttered through the air like restless butterflies. Kourtney wasnât one to back down easily as well, especially not when she was already feeling so confident in her new dress. âWith all due respect, Maâam. Iâm already paying for this dress!â she said flatly, not wanting to take part in any BS.The manager, a well-dressed middle-aged lady with a no-nonsense attitude who appeared from behind the counter, nodded in support. âThat dress has already been chosen by this customer so I suggest you find something else that suits your unique taste.âJust like in typical fashion houses, there was only one of such dress available. It was custom-made for just one customer!There wasnât even a replica of it that could be given to another person. And by the way, she can't just waltz in here and demand for something that was already picked by another lady who intended to make the purchase.Who
As planned, the two friends headed out to a trendy district in Melbourne filled with the most classy high-end boutiques.âAre you ready for this?â Lilian asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement as they entered a mildly populated Dior department store.âMore than ever!â Kourtney replied, clutching the treasured black card that Sebastian had given her like a lifeline.It was the first time she would take the initiative to use the extravagant 300-million-dollar black card from her billionaire husband for shopping expenses.She remembered when he had given it to her after their first night together at Serenity Villa. She recalled how the man had behaved like such an insane amount of money was no big deal.He nonchalantly handed it over, claiming it was just a tool for her to use as she pleased. âGo on, spoil yourself,â he had said with a grin, totally unfazed by the fact that it was worth three hundred million fucking dollars.He was such a Big Casanova spender!âOkay, letâs find someth
Meanwhile, across town, Sebastian was sitting in another urgent board meeting at Woods Corporation to plan the launch of their new company branch in the UK. While everyone present was droning on about numbers and projections, his mind was elsewhere. Thatâs when his phone beeped, echoing a sound that cut through the tension and serious atmosphere in the boardroom. Sebastian hurriedly picked up his phone from the table to view the text. He hadn't expected a reply from Kourtney to come so fast.All eyes turned to him, surprised. The big boss himself was now smiling like a kid on Christmas morning.They all exchanged baffled looks. âSince when does he smile like that during these boring meetings?âTheir usually stoic and focused boss who had previously forbidden everyone, including himself, from using their phones during meetings, had his fingers dancing across the screen like an obsessed gamer who'd just received the latest gaming console.Since when did he text so much?These past fe