Kourtney's eyes widened in a mixture of guilt and shame as she tried to turn away, hiding the evidence of her pain."It's... itâs nothing, just a little accident," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.Sebastian's heart clenched at her obvious distress, a surge of protectiveness and worry flooding through him. To think he was rushing home to see the pretty face of his wife, not knowing it had already been messed up and bruised.The raw agony etched on her features hit him like a punch to the gut. Even her swollen eyes meant she had been crying for long, and the sight pierced through his heart like a knife, seeing his vibrant wife reduced to a shell of herself.Her cheeks were inflamed and discolored - a stark contrast to her usual radiance.âWho did it?â he rasped.âUh??âI said, who did it?ââUhmmmâŠ. It's no one. No one did it, okay? I... I said it was an accident!â Kourtney stammered a lie through her teeth.She had assumed the man would be back home late and probably woul
The next morning dawned with the harsh light of consequences and a storm of chaos for the Allen family. The entire household, along with staff, sat in their lavish living room, watching in horror as their stocks plummeted in real-time on the screen, a visual representation of their downfall.The atmosphere was tense and suffocating!News of their cooperation crumbling, investors fleeing, bankruptcy looming, and debts piling up like a mountain spread like wildfire across every TV station. Reporters didn't hold back, their words sharp as knives."The once-mighty Allen family is now on its knees, a warning tale of greed and mismanagement,â one business reporter on TV barked."The Allens are no longer among the titans of the industry they once were. It seems the golden facade of the Allen empire is finally cracking. Is it finally over?" one anchor declared openly.Another reporter ridiculed, "Investors are in a frenzy, trying to salvage what's left of their investments. The Allens are in
Sebastian, seated behind his desk, regarded her coolly. "Ah, my dear Wife. Always a pleasure to see you, especially under such... dramatic circumstances."âWhat did you do to my family? This... this sabotage. It's your doing, isn't it?" Kourtney wasted no time for pleasantries and cut straight to the chase.Sebastian leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "My, my, such accusations. And here I thought we were starting to get to know each other better."Kourtney gritted her teeth at his obvious childish banter during a serious confrontation.âYou⊠Just cut the crap. You know exactly what I'm talking about.âSebastian's smirk widened. "Ah, yes. The little incident with your father that you refused to tell your HUSBAND about. Quite the scene. Wasn't it? But rest assured, my dear, that was merely a taste of what's to come."âThatâsâŠ. That's what all this is about? You're destroying everything my family has worked so hard to build just because my father lost his temper for a
"Thank you, Ted. Please inform my wife, Kourtney, that we have visitors," Sebastian instructed smoothly, his voice a mask of composure.The old butler bowed and swiftly made his way to deliver the message, leaving Sebastian to contemplate the chessboard of power and emotions that lay before him.He strode out of his study, each step purposeful, his footsteps echoing off the polished marble floors, and then he stopped at the top of the grand staircase. From there, he could oversee the entrance and observe the Allens' approach.The door creaked open, and they came, one by one, in a straight queue, like sacrificial lambs entering the lion's den.Sebastian smirked, enjoying the view.This was the Allens, his supposed in-lawsâa once proud and formidable family, now shadows of their former selves.His gaze lingered on them, calculating and detached. He observed the tension in their stance, the flicker of hope in their eyes as they shifted about, unsure of where to stand. Their steps were he
Kourtney's heart ached at her father's words, the pain evident in his voice. She could see the turmoil in his eyes, as she knew he was a proud man who barely ever admitted his mistakes. But nowâŠ. Now he was doing that in front of everyone.Taking a deep breath, she responded. âI forgive you, Dad. It's okay!âLuke visibly sagged with relief, his shoulders relaxing as he absorbed his daughter's words. He never thought it would actually be this EASY!So easy!!!He reached out quickly and enveloped Kourtney in a warm embrace, further proving their relationship was good again.Kourtney was taken aback at first. She couldn't remember the last time she hugged her dad. This man who had never truly cared enough to embrace her for as long as she could remember was doing so now in front of everyone.She felt bitter-sweet!Seeing Kourtneyâs compassionate response to Luke, the rest of the Allens present, except Kathlyn, started approaching, asking for forgiveness concerning the previous incident a
Kourtney's blood immediately ran cold on hearing Sebastian's brazen proposal.âUhh?â she asked, still in doubt of the extent of his demands.âYou heard me,â he replied proudly.His face was completely straight and unreadable now, which meant he was super-duper serious.Kourtney shrugged.âWhy does he always have to make everything so difficult⊠so complicated?â She thought to herself, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.This man⊠he always had to push boundaries!Naked in the shower⊠With him?How can he be so shameless?She had known Sebastian was a shameless fad, but this was a whole new level of absurdness.Ridiculously Unreasonable!!!She knew what he wanted, what he always seemed to want from her. Yet, she could never grow accustomed to his insane demands.âYou.. can't you just be reasonable and less vulgar for once?ââWellâŠWhereâs the fun in that?â Sebastian replied smugly, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her knees weak."He knows exactly what he's d
She glanced around the table, meeting the eyes of her family members as they all looked at her with eyes full of hope and expectancy.How could she secure this land and save her family's legacy?âHeck! It means going through that man again, isn't it?â she grimaced inwardly.She just never seems to escape Sebastian's clutches. The man appeared to hold the key to every door she needed to unlock.It was traumatizing at this point!With a deep breath, she turned her attention back to her grandmother. âI'll do it, Grandma. I'll find a way to get that land for us. I⊠Iâll talk to my husband about it.âA glimmer of hope danced in Grandma Florence's eyes as she reached out and squeezed Kourtney's hand. âOh, bless you, my dear. You are truly our ray of hope in these dark times.âKourtney could only force a fake smile as she took in everyoneâs praises and words of admiration throughout the rest of the brunch.******Later that evening, as the Allens prepared to depart from the Serenity Villa, M
Kathlyn hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting away for a fleeting moment before locking onto Kourtney's gaze.A bitter laugh escaped her lips, devoid of any humor. "Oh, you really don't know, do you? You have no clue about the pain you've caused me, the opportunities you've stolen from me. But one day, the world will see you for who you truly are, and then youâll understand why I canât stand the sight of you.âKourtney's brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about, Kathlyn? What do you mean by that? What are you hiding?â Her voice quivered, betraying her inner turmoil as she tried to make sense of Kathlynâs remarks.Her mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of her sister's cryptic words.But Kathlyn remained stoic, her resolve unyielding. âOh, not now, Sister! But youâll find out soon enough. But for now, just know that I have my reasons for despising you.âWith a final glare, she turned on her heel and strode towards the door, leaving Kourtney standing there,
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