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Sebastian had on a stony expression as he stared down at the bustling city from the highest floor of the Forbes skyscraper. Up close, he looked frightening, and his dark aura was dangerously unmatched. Due to some scheduling conflicts, his live interview has been delayed for over 3 hours, so right now, he was about to lose his last string of patience. But then... âSir, you have a call from Mrs Woods,â Jamieâs announcement, as if it had magic properties, brought him back to a relaxed state of mind. âMy Wife?â âYes, Sire. Itâs Mrs Woods calling.â Sebastian quickly grabbed the phone as if his life depended on it. The coldness in his eyes disappeared in a flash. âHello?â came Kourtneyâs gloomy voice. âWhatâs wrong?â Sebastian asked, concern lacing his words. âMr Woods, I⊠I told my family about it. And guess what? Things didn't go well as planned. I feel terrible!â Kourtney sniffed, her words coming out in a babyish manner as if she wanted to be petted and comforted by her husba
Sebastian wasnât surprised they were asking such deeply personal questions about his love life like this. Matter of fact, he had expected it. The host of the show, a world-renowned journalist known for her insightful interviews with top business tycoons, politicians, and famous public figures, suddenly acted inexperienced and childish by pressing him with a very personal question almost immediately after he got onto the stage. It was laughable yet understandable! After all, he was an extraordinary man who had the world at his feet. Everyone wanted a piece of him. His well-pressed clothes were devoid of any wrinkles. Even his 5-million-dollar wristwatch reflected a metallic, cool gleam, radiating an air of magnificence. On his left hand, his diamond wedding ring, âThe Forever Promise,â was emitting a rare and superior kind of glow, adding more flavor to his entire outlook. The room was filled with anticipation and silence that one could even hear a pin drop. It was indeed as if th
The sound of birds chattering woke Kourtney up from her deep slumber. It was a bright new day, and the sun was already starting to set, casting a warm glow through her bedroom window. She yawned from sleepiness and then looked at the time on her large wall clock. âWhat?? 9 am already?â Kourtney shrieked, jumping up from the bed in haste Her heart raced as she realized she had overslept on one of the most crucial days of her life. âHow could I wake up so late like this?â she muttered to herself, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over her. Her stomach was growling due to hunger, and she knew she wouldn't have enough time to engage in her beloved morning care routines and yoga sessions. A pity! Because it had always helped her start the day on a more positive note. It was a Saturday, which meant the entire family would gather to have a luncheon and brunch party that afternoon. Everyone was meant to attend as a family tradition, put in place by Grandma Florence. But first, she nee
Brandon was the first to react, his facial expression changing from shock to admiration, then to lust, and finally to indifference and spite.Kourtney couldn't help but notice the lustful look in his eyes as he took in her stunning appearance. It was a look she had seen before, back when they were together, and it made her feel a strange mix of emotions.Kathlyn, ever sharp and sensitive, had also noticed the change in Brandon's expression. She had always suspected that he still had lingering feelings of attraction to Kourtney despite successfully stealing him away from her.A bitter sneer formed on her lips as she stared at her so-called sister, who looked absolutely astonishing.Kathlyn had dressed in a well-made cream-colored gown, but compared to Kourtney's outfit and appearance, she felt like a pauper.Kourtney looked too gorgeous and sophisticated in that white dress, stealing the spotlight from her, who was supposed to be the center of attention as the bride-to-be.Today was su
Kourtney couldn't believe her ears. She stood there in horror, torn between laughter and tears. How could her own family treat her so cruelly? Calling her a nuisance as if she meant nothing and didnât deserve to sit like the rest of them at the table.It hurt her deeply!Even her own mother and father remained silent, seemingly indifferent to the whole situation. Their lack of support and concern only added to Kourtney's pain.She looked around the table, hoping to find support from at least anyone else, but they all remained silent, their expressions indifferent, and they all looked at her like she was the most horrible person on earth!As Kourtney was led away to her room, she caught a glimpse of Kathlynâs evil smirk. It was clear that her sister took pleasure so much pleasure and delight in her suffering.She was indeed locked inside her bedroom by the head servant as per Grandmaâs instruction, making her feel a mix of anger and sadness.So badly, she wanted her husband to come tak
âWHERE IS MY WIFE?â Sebastianâs cold voice thundered through the room, his chilling presence sending shivers down their spine. He was almost furious at this point. But as he glared around the room, searching for any sign of Kourtney, no one dared to meet his gaze or answer his question. It was as if they were all hiding something, afraid of his wrath. Every one of them seemed to be in a daze. No one was saying anything concerning the whereabouts of his precious wife.His eyes scanned the crowd with a sense of growing unease. Despite the Melbourne weather forecasters predicting very delicate weather and advising all flights be canceled, Sebastian had just risked his life and that of his subordinates using his private jet to get here.Even after several pleas and warnings from his flight team, he had insisted on proceeding with the trip from Sydney, where he had done his Forbes interview. He did not want to disappoint Kourtney, especially when she had taken the initiative to call him
The room remained silent in total suspense as Kourtney and Sebastian locked eyes. It was as if time stood still, and the rest of the world faded into the background. The entire room watched the both of them keenly, eyes fixed on the couple like an audience watching a captivating play or soap opera.Kourtney took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She was standing here, face to face with the strange man she had married just about a week ago, yet it feltâŠ. so undeniably RIGHT!Sebastian's lips curled into a small smile as he took three steps forward, closing the distance between them. "Kourtney," his cold voice was filled with affection. His sharp and icy tone from earlier suddenly replaced by a cool and soothing tone.A wave of emotions washed over Kourtney as she looked into his eyes. She felt a connection, a spark that she couldn't explain. It was as if they had known each other for a lifetime, even though they had barely scratched the surface.Somehow, she felt the ne
Sebastian glanced down at Kourtney, his expression softening slightly and his anger slowly subsiding. Her gentle touch to his back just now made him feel some kind of electricity, and he felt a sweet tug in his heartstrings.He reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear."I understand how you feel, my dear. But these people need to learn their lesson. They can't treat you like this."Kourtney nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you for standing up for me. I don't want to be here anymore. So can we just⊠go?"Sebastian turned back to the crowd, his gaze sweeping over them with disdain and disappointment. As usual, he saw himself as the biggest personality among them, and everyone else was just beneath him."You heard my wife. We're leaving. But before we go, I have one more thing to address.""I want to greet my father-in-law," Sebastian declared, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let him step forward and face me!"Everyone shifted uncomfortably on their
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