Sebastian's voice turned cold and ruthless. "If you refuse to come to me, I'll have no other choice but to purchase your workplace and then have you fired. Then you won't have to worry about your precious job anymore. How about that for a twist?âKourtney's eyes widened in shock, realizing the depth of his threat. The line went silent for an instant, the weight of his words hanging in the air.âYou⊠you won't do that?ââWatch me!â Sebastian sneered coldly before turning to his assistant, who stood by the side with a funny expression on his face.âJamie? How much does that âSkyline Eventsâ cost? I would gladly burn down the whole building afterward since I have no use for it.ââYou...â Kourtney was stunned into silence, grappling with the realization that he was willing to go to such extreme lengths to exert control over her. He was being such a heartless and unreasonable jerk yet again.âTick-tock. You have thirty minutes to get here! Thirty!!!â Sebastian snorted coldly before hanging
âBoss. Here's video footage of the Madame eating with her office mates around when you called.Sebastian squinted his eyes as he observed the footage closely. His wife was eating with two others, a female and a blonde âmale,â chatting and laughing happily.He sat up straighter on the hospital bed and watched intently. At the time of his call, only the male was with her on the table.He couldn't help but feel a surge of jealousy and anger once again as he watched the two of them."Who's that guy?" Sebastian demanded, his voice cold and commanding as he pointed at the male figure in the video.The security guards glanced at each other before one replied, "We're not sure, Boss. Seems to be one of the Madameâs coworkers or a friend."Sebastian clenched his jaw. He didn't like the idea of his wife spending time with another man, especially in a relaxed and friendly manner, despite it being her workplace. Was she that close with all her male colleagues?"Keep an eye on him. I want to know m
With a resigned sigh, Kourtney picked up the hospital menu. "So what would you like to eat, Your Highness?"âI don't eat hospital food. My Assistant will bring in the meal my personal Chef made.âKourtney eyed him annoyingly. The man had a thing for always showing off, never missing an opportunity to flaunt his wealth and privileged lifestyle. His arrogant manners kind of made her want to punch him across his devilishly handsome face. "Must be nice,â she muttered under her breath."Well, when you're used to a certain standard, settling for less just isn't an option," Sebastian smirked, seemingly unfazed by her remark while Kourtney rolled her eyes.A few minutes later, Jamie rolled in a trolley containing dishes that would make even the most perceptive food critic's mouth water. Kourtney couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the spectacle. Each dish looked like it had been carefully crafted to nourish and delight the senses. The centerpiece was a rich, velvety soup in an ornate bowl
Kourtney felt her cheeks flush deeper as she realized the implications of their current position. She was seated on his lap with his arms encircling her waist, and the intensity of his gaze was undeniable. She immediately struggled to get off him, but the man just wouldn't budge. He held her tightly against him. âMr Woods, I beg you to let me go now.â âWhy the rush? We're a married couple, after all. What's wrong about sitting on me?â he rasped. Sebastian's tone was defensive, and he continued to hold her with an iron grip in a possessive manner. Even his usually composed expression was replaced by a flicker of something more primal. There was a burning heat evident in his eyes. Kourtney, on the other hand, was flustered and conflicted, her face a deep shade of crimson red. She wriggled in his embrace, desperately trying to free herself. âThis man! How much more petty can you get!â she thought. Meanwhile, Sebastian's body, against his better judgment, responded to the close proxi
"Nothing to be overly concerned about Mrs. Woods, just some series of physical breakdowns caused by extreme fatigue. Apparently, your husband is a workaholic," Ryan lied diplomatically.Kourtney's eyes narrowed in a mixture of relief and annoyance. "Fatigue? That's it?ââYes, he just needs some rest and a healthier work-life balance. It's not uncommon for high achievers to push themselves too hard. Bastian needs to learn when to take a break."Kourtney sneered. âOH⊠I see. It was nothing serious, and your friend here made me pamper and feed him like he was some dying old Grandpa! All this drama for fatigue?â Sebastian, unapologetic, shot back, "Well, isn't it nice to know you care so much?"Kourtney, not one to let Sebastian have the last word, retorted, "Oh, you'll be lucky if I even lift a finger again. You can feed yourself!âSebastian raised an eyebrow, a challenge in his eyes. "Is that so?âHe shot her a sour look while Ryan couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the bickering
Kourtney tightened her grip on the bag of fruits as she recognized the couple â Brandon, her ex-fiancĂ©, and her sister Kathlyn, the same people who had betrayed and cheated on her.They seemed so happy together, and a bitter taste filled her mouth as she recalled the pain they had caused her. Her stomach churned, and she felt a headache, witnessing the life that was stolen from her. The universe seemed to conspire against her today.Frozen in her steps, Kourtney debated whether to turn around and find an alternate route, but then, they were standing on the road leading back to Sebastian's room, blocking any escape.Brandon, with his keen eyes, spotted her first. âKourtney???â he called out.He had a somewhat surprised expression on his face as if he hadn't expected to run into her here.Kathlyn, on the other hand, wore a triumphant smirk, her eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief."Oh, look who's here! Our dear Kourtney."âOh, Hi,â Kourtney sneered with disgust evident on her face. B
âIâm just doing charity from the bottom of my good heart.â Sebastian smirked. âCharity or not, It's good to know that you care for your husband.â âMr Woods, are you gonna open your mouth or not?â Kourtney asked impatiently, âI might change my mind, you know.â Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Jamie cleared his throat. âUhmm... Madame, Sir... usually donât eat fruits. I meanâŠâ Sebastian shot him a deadly glare, silencing him immediately. Kourtney chuckled. âLMAO! Who doesn't like fruits? My God⊠you're such a weirdo, Mr Woods.â âI like it now,â Sebastian replied icily. âOh... I see! Open your mouth then,â she dangled the watermelon slice closer to his lips. Sebastian opened his mouth agape, his eyes fixed on Kourtney. His lips slightly brushed against her fingers now as he accepted the slice, unlike the time she fed him with a spoon. And just like that, Kourtney felt her heart thumping and her cheeks heating up. His lips coming in contact with her fingers made her feel some type
Four hours later, the room's background light had shifted from the warm glow of late afternoon to the dark shades of late night. Sebastian, ever the attentive partner, had dimmed the hospital room overhead lights to create a more soothing atmosphere so Kourtney could enjoy her sleep.Even though he needed more lighting to be able to work, he willingly turned down the lights so she could sleep better. He also couldnât stop himself from stealing glances at her every now and then.Even with tons of work documents in his hands, he watched her from time to time as she reclined softly against the pillows like a cute little toddler. And the tenderness in his eyes also spoke volumes. She looked so cute! Too cute! âMy wife is super adorable!â he murmured.With her looking like this, Sebastian couldnât possibly concentrate on his paperwork.He could hardly help himself anymore as he reached out to touch her. He gently brushed his fingers against her nose, cheeks, and lips. It wasn't weird or a
Kourtneyâs senses sharpened immediately.This couldn't possibly be just a technical mishap! The entire event had been going on smoothly for hours now. So why now?Why when she was on stage speaking?A rush of urgency pulled her attention back to Debbie Howard once more.She felt a bead of sweat trickle down her temples as she recalled the smirk plastered on Debbie's face. It was still lingering, still taunting. Was this part of her plot?What more was she plotting? As if to confirm her suspicion, the giant screen on the stage behind her suddenly lit up and started playing an ear-piercing sound.Kourtney wanted to cry at this point. It was as if the universe was conspiring against her triumph. Her big moment was being ruined by such disruptions.But that wasn't even the end of it.Gasps and loud murmurs from the crowd suggested that something much worse could be happening. People were pointing at the screen behind her.She turned back to face it with her heart in her throat.A vid
Kourtney smiled brightly.Goodness, it felt incredible to be acknowledged in such a way. She knew that the glamorous lights made her look radiant, but their astonishment ran deeper than appearance. She could tell that they couldnât fathom why the most powerful man in the room would break his stoic persona for her.And with each sound of approval from the crowd, Kourtneyâs confidence began to swell, her earlier apprehensions replaced with a fiery determination. She turned toward her in-laws seated in the front rows.Grandpa Woods was on his feet as he supported his frail legs with his walking stick. Kourtney blushed. The Old Man had a sparkle of pride in his eyes, as if saying âThat's my talented Granddaughter-in-law.âApart from him, Edwin, his sister, Clara, and a few other Woods family members were upstanding in honor of her.However, the majority of them, including Sheila, her mother, and her sister still had that disdainful and envious looks on their faces.Nevertheless, the ovati
As she made her way towards the podium, through the backstage, Kourtney was still nervous as hell. The howling and supportive chants from the crowd could do nothing to calm her raging nerves.She just had a bad feelingâŠas if something would go wrong and she just couldn't shake it off. She decided to keep her head high regardless, not wanting to flop.She would grace the stage in front of so many people, her husband, his family, her own family, her ex and his family, and then the entire worldâThere should be no room for flopping!A feeling of impending dread should not be her utmost thought at the moment. She just needed to focus on what she was going to say so as not to appear stupid.But then Kourtney saw her, and her heart dropped.A very familiar figure!There, lurking in the shadows of the backstage area, was Debbie Howard dressed informally in a black and white uniform as if she were among the lighting or technical staff.Kourtney felt a chill run down her spine, like icy fingers
Scarlet knew that getting a little revenge would at least make her feel so much better about herself tonight.While she stood, brainstorming ideas of what to do, the live performance ended.âGive it up for BTS!â the host announced as all seven members left the stage in high spirits.It was a spectacular ten-minute medley of their top hits across the span of their decade-long career. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, still buzzing from the electrifying performance that had turned the evening into an unforgettable spectacle.The crowd of people that had gathered including Kourtney and Lilian, started going back to their various seats. Everyone was chatting so excitedly.âDid you see that choreography?â one woman exclaimed, her eyes shining with awe.âRight? I thought I was going to faint!â her friend replied, clutching her purse as if it were a lifebuoy.It was one hell of a show!The performance was finally over, and it was time to move on to another part of the program.âNow
His eyes drifted across the crowd, scanning for something familiar.Then he saw herâKourtney.It was effortless to spot her amid the crowd; her vibrant green dress had been so eye-catching all night.Of course, she was going to be there at the forefront enjoying this nonsense!In fact, it was like she was at the center of it all.Soon enough, he was capturing every move she made, unable to tear his eyes away as she danced with her friend. It was almost as if they had previously mastered the moves as they imitated the backup dancers on stage.Hilarious!But the more Kourtney glowed with undeniable joy, the more Sebastianâs irritation melted away, replaced by something warmer as he felt a strange tug in his chest.Just seeing his wife so happy lifted the weight off his shoulders, as if he were dancing along with her.And to his surprise, he found himself swaying slightly in rhythm to the music. Unconsciously, he began to nod his head, tapping his foot against the polished floor.Just wa
Lilian hated this.She didn't want Kourtney to wake up one day and realize you wasted years waiting for a man who only wanted you in the shadows.She wasnât just Kourtney anymore; she was Kourtney Woods, the wife of the most powerful man in Melbourne. And she needs to shine beside him.âLook, Kourt, I care about you, and it worries me. You have every right to be out there, sitting by his side and drawing the kind of respect that comes with being his wife. Youâre not just some side project; you deserve to shine, to be the most important person in his life.âKourtney bit her lip, filled with the combination of sorrow and a will to believe in Sebastian. âBut⊠But he introduced me to his family. Doesnât that mean anything?ââMaybe,â Lilian said, softening a bit. âBut you need to have a talk with him. Make him realize that hiding you isnât an option. Youâre not a secret; Girl, youâre his wife! And I swear to God, if you let this man keep treating you like some *hidden secret*, I will perso
When Kourtney received the text right after stepping out of the ladies' bathroom, she frowned.She had just had the most insane confrontation with his ex-girlfriend, who threatened to throw her out of her âownâ event. The situation had left her rattled, and right now, she wasnât in a good mood.Once again, she ignored the manâs message and tucked her phone into her purse.âTypical Sebastian,â she muttered under her breath, feeling that simmering frustration become something deeper.Why couldnât he understand that this wasnât just a simple event for her?She was nervous as hell, wishing everything would go smoothly.Her whole career was at stake here!Nothing must go wrong, and she was supposed to make sure of it.However, the fact that she was living a double life right here made things so difficult.First, she was bullied by Sheila and her friends, now, she had run into Scarlet. Her emotions were all over the place now, and she could barely focus.Just as she grappled with her feelin
âI should just rip this off of you! You donât deserve it! Who the hell do you think you are?â Scarlet spat, her demeanor feral, like a wild animal cornered and desperate.âJust a woman who refuses to blend into the background while you prance around like you're the queen of the world.âShocked gasps echoed through the room. The vibe in the restroom had shifted in Kourtneyâs favor.A handful of other women had already gathered around the two like bees. Some had their phones secretly pulled out and recorded the altercation as it unfolded.A supposed world-famous model and idol was behaving wildly and harassing a lady over a dressâit was surely going to make good headlines for the press.Scarlet barely even noticed they were being taped, too consumed by the red haze of jealousy and rage that clouded her judgment. âLook at you, acting like you own this place!â she shouted, her face flushed with indignation.Kourtney, standing her ground, firmly replied, âI am owning it!âScarlet noticed t
Scarlet Thompson glided towards the lavish ladies' restroom with a heavy heart.She felt dejected, each step heavier than the last.She was more than just a blonde bombshell; she was the queen of this realm. But at this moment, she felt stripped of her crown.Despite being known for turning heads wherever she went, tonight, she felt utterly invisibleHer heart sank as she recalled how, for the whole evening, Sebastian hadnât even bothered to look her way.The man didnât pay attention to anyone but himselfâŠ.He sat at his solo table, effortlessly charming, with the air of a king who couldnât be bothered to glance at her for a second while she remained an invisible shadow just a few meters away at her familyâs table.Absolutely devastating!The sting in her chest twisted harder each time she glanced his way.It pained her so much that the man didnât seem to give a fuck about her. It hurt her ego so much.How could he not even acknowledge her?âJust breathe,â she murmured, leaning her we