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 didn’t 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 Kathlyn’s 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 Grandma’s instruction, making her feel a mix of anger and sadness.So badly, she wanted her husband to come tak
“WHERE IS MY WIFE?” Sebastian’s 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 felt…. 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
After stepping outside the Allen mansion, Sebastian led Kourtney by the hand to his Rolls Royce, a sleek and luxurious car that perfectly matched his billionaire status. He slid into the driver's seat after making sure she was well and settled in the front passenger's seat. Kourtney was surprised to see him take the wheel today and not his usual chauffeurs.She flushed even more and couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement as she realized that Sebastian was personally driving her for the first time - to his HOME. It was an intimate gesture that made her heart flutter.As they drove through the city streets, she noticed him stealing glances at her every now and then.Funny enough, the man still couldn’t stop gaping at her even while driving. She felt a mix of flattery and annoyance. “Can you stop?” Kourtney blushed and then looked out the window, trying to hide her embarrassment.“Stop what?” Sebastian asked innocently, though a mischievous glint danced in his eyes.“Stop looking
After finishing their meal, Kourtney excused herself and suggested taking a stroll around the villa to explore her new surroundings. Some of the female servants, sensing her curiosity, offered to show her around and answer any questions she might have.Sebastian, however, was not having it.He trailed behind them like a lost puppy, unable to take his eyes off her.“You don't have to follow us everywhere, you know. Why don’t you go have a rest? You’ve just eaten,” Kourtney said, playing the dutiful wife.She glanced back at him with a teasing smile as he hovered around her like a bee on a flower.Sebastian chuckled, his eyes filled with adoration. "I can't help it. I want to be near you, just to make sure you’re safe!”Kourtney rolled her eyes playfully. The man was starting to be clingy. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, you know. Besides, I think the servants are more than capable of showing me around."Sebastian refused to budge, his eyes fixed on her with an unnervin
“Why don't we?.. Have our first shower TOGETHER?” “Say what now?” Kourtney blinked blankly at Sebastian as if she was staring at a ghost! Her mind was reeling. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. ‘Is he seriously suggesting that we take a shower together?’ It was one thing to share a bedroom, but to be so intimate right from the start was a lot to handle. She already knew Sebastian was a shameless man, but she never really thought he'd be this shameless! She had thought the man would be reasonable enough to at least, let her stay in her own room and get used to him. Turns out she overestimated his rationality as now he was even bold enough to ask such. “You heard me, Wife? Isn't it normal for couples to bathe together?” Sebastian seemed so unbothered by the look Kourtney was giving him, his mischievous smile growing wider. Kourtney, “……” Her jaw dropped, her mind racing to comprehend the audacity of his proposal. This was a whole new level of absurdity, and she wasn'
“I… I'm just trying to find a comfortable sleeping position,” Kourtney whined, her voice barely audible in the dimly lit room.However, there was no reply from Sebastian except for the heavy sound of his breathing. She tried to shift again, and this time… She felt something huge and hard pressing against her ass.‘Oh my goodness... What is that?’ Kourtney thought as her eyes widened in fright.Sebastian's eyes darkened further, his desire becoming almost unbearable.“I warned you to stop moving. Now look what you’ve made me become,” he said in a voice deep and thick with longing.The bulge underneath his robe was almost bursting through the material at this point.In a swift movement, he flipped Kourtney sideways to lay on her back pressed against the sheets. And then he hovered above her like a predator does with its prey. The evidence of his desire was obvious now and prodding Kourtney’s belly as he lay on top of her, making a sharp gasp escape her lips.Sebastian pinned her down to
Ever since he had heard about his First Love’s arrival yesterday, Kourtney had barely seen or spent time with her husband. For the first time since she moved in with him, Sebastian had been absent in their bed when she got up.And even in her deep slumber, she knew she didn’t feel his warm embrace or presence last night. She was more than certain he hadn’t spent the night here.She could feel it in her bones!Just as she was about to lose herself in her spiraling thoughts, she opened the bedroom door and stepped out, only to be met by the sight of two of Sebastian’s bodyguards waiting just outside.“Good morning, Mrs. Woods,” one of them greeted with a polite nod.“Uhmm… where is he?” The question slipped from her lips before she could stop it.“Mr. Woods had something to do at the company, so he left first,” the other bodyguard replied, his expression unreadable.Kourtney felt her heart drop. ‘He left me here again to go to the company?’ she thought as anger bubbled inside her.She w
Meanwhile, as Sebastian drove away, his mind raced.How could she just show up like that?He felt sick from the memories the woman stirred within him. The nights spent dreaming of what could have been, the love that had once filled his heart, now twisted into something dark and painful.God! She had turned him into a shadow of himself.Why had she returned?Was she here to stir up trouble?Sebastian was a clever man, quick to understand the intentions of others. She has to be here to cause trouble. Nothing more, nothing less.He gripped the steering wheel tightly as he navigated through the congested streets of Melbourne. The evening traffic crawled at a snail's pace, much worse than usual.Soon enough, he got to know there was a recent ghastly accident. A multi-car pileup around the scene had brought the main road to a standstill.Because of this, he was stuck in the traffic jam for hours with a throbbing headache pulsating at his temples.As Sebastian sat there, trapped in his sleek
“Fine. Then let’s talk about that person you married... it was just for formalities, wasn’t it?” Scarlet probed, her eyes glinting with curiosity.At her words, Sebastian chuckled darkly. “You think you know everything, don’t you?” Scarlet's heart raced as she saw a flicker of something glinting in his eyes the moment when she mentioned that person. He was smiling now! He even laughed!“He—He can’t possibly have feelings for her,” she thought frantically. “No! Not after everything we had.”Her eyes narrowed as she assessed him, taking in the wedding band that glinted against his skin.It was as if something suddenly snapped inside her. Consumed by a wave of jealousy, she rushed at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressing her body against his. She had moved so quickly before his bodyguards could move an inch to stop her. She took them all by surprise.“I need you, Bastian,” she said with desperation.Her breath was warm against his skin. She wanted to feel the heat of
Across town, Sebastian Woods sat in a sleek conference room, surrounded by his British investors. The mood was tense; the meeting had been called unexpectedly. They were supposed to arrive the next day morning, but their flight had changed, and now he had to face them early.It was annoying just sitting there for him. He hated urgent and unplanned business meetings like this, but he just couldn’t keep these people waiting. He liked to treat his foreign investors well as they were important to the growth of his company. He had to be there no matter what.But, despite the urgent nature of the meeting, Sebastian’s mind was miles away.“President Woods?” one of the investors interrupted, waving a hand in front of him. “Are you with us?”“Sorry, yes. Let’s continue,” he replied, shaking his head to clear the fog of distraction.He wanted to focus on work, but his mind kept wandering back to HER.It was funny how he kept glancing at his phone on the table, hoping for a beep, a call, or even
They both turned towards the voice. It was Edwin Woods.“What’s it to you? This is not of your business,” Micheal challenged.“I’ll tell you what? It’s every one of my business. That’s my awesome sister-in-law,” Edwin said stepping close enough to separate Kourtney from Micheal.“She’s a grown woman. She can make her own decisions.”“Right. But stay away from her!”“You’ll never stop being Sebastian’s little sidekick, will you?”“Being a sidekick feels much better than being the incompetent failure that you are,” Edwin scoffed.Kourtney watched as both men went head to head with scornful words flying around. She didn’t ask for any of this drama. She only wanted to come here and cry, then probably inhale the fresh scent of blooming roses till she felt satisfied.What was this evening turning into?She could feel the tension crackling in the air between them, like a storm ready to break. It was hard to believe that these two men were cousins who grew up together, yet here they were, gla
Micheal grinned on hearing her positive response. “I’m glad you’re so interested in hearing what I have to say.”Kourtney was getting impatient now, “Yeah, so what is it?”In truth, she only wanted to get the conversation over with so he could leave her alone.The man smirked, reveling in the power he held over her. “Trust me. It's a perfect solution that we can both enjoy.”Kourtney's instincts screamed at her to be cautious. The way Michael leaned in, his expression shifting to something more intense, made her stomach churn. She didn’t want to hear whatever twisted proposal he had in mind, but a part of her was suddenly curious, almost desperate to know what could possibly come next.“What exactly do want?” she asked again, her voice tinged with a hint of annoyance as she silently wished he would suggest something that wouldn’t make her hiss with contempt.“Hmmm. So let’s be real here,” he started, his voice low and steady, almost hypnotic. “Bastian is clearly not committed to you.
“Maybe that's why he still refused to let go of their old memories,” 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? “Hey, Sebastian, I found a box of your ex-girlfriend's photos, and I’m feeling a bit insecure about it”? That would sound like the ramblings of a jealous, obsessive woman, and she was determined not to be that person.She didn’t want to come off as the psychotic wife who couldn't ha
Kourtney’s steps were light as she approached the ornate double doors to Sebastian’s 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 couldn’t 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 Scarlet’s 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
“So you had no idea she was coming?” Edwin pestered.“I don’t!”Sebastian, 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 something—nostalgia, 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 family’s whispers were like daggers.She could hear tiny bits of their discussions.It was still all about the Scarlet Lady.She felt like she couldn’t breathe properly.And Sebasti