ELOISEMy lips trembled. This painful information was coming to me at once, and I suddenly felt overwhelmed and tight in my stomach.“Is that why this man… I mean, this Christopher, so antagonistic towards you?”Adam looked away for a moment before continuing. “His wife cheated on him with a Sebastian. Why or how it happened, I wouldn’t know. The Jacksons, Waldorfs, and Sebastians were longtime friends, so connections are inevitable.”“So, Christopher blamed you for everything?”He shrugged. “Well, their affair created a lot of bad blood. Of course, I didn’t know any of that growing up. I was left in the dark until I was old enough to understand, but even now, I barely understand. It all seems so chaotic to me.”“Your parents didn’t tell you?” I asked. If so, he probably learned it from Christopher.“I’m sure they intended to keep it a secret forever, but every secret is meant to be discovered.”“That’s... a lot,” I said. My throat suddenly felt dry. I immediately wanted to comfort hi
ELOISEWe cut the revelation short, and Adam let me rest for the night. We lay soundly in each other’s arms. My head rested on his arm while his other arm was wrapped around my waist. I cocooned against his warm chest while he breathed softly on my neck. This all seemed surreal and peaceful, and I felt protected. This was going to be my night for the next days, months, or years if we made it work. I then closed my eyes and fell asleep.I woke up in the morning with Adam’s face close to mine. His eyes were closed, and only then did I notice his long lashes, prominent nose lines, and the faint lines on his skin from whenever he smiled. I couldn’t help but run my fingers over his cheek and across his forehead.Suddenly, his eyes fluttered open, and he smiled. “Enjoying the view?” he teased, his voice husky from sleep.I chuckled softly. “Very much.”Adam’s smile widened, and he tightened his hold on me, pulling me even closer. “Good morning, beautiful.”“Good morning,” I replied, feelin
ELOISEAdam and I came down the staircase, but as we were expecting to find his family gathered for breakfast, we were surprised to see the room empty.“Where is everyone?” Adam wondered aloud, then glanced at a male attendant who passed by.The attendant smiled. “Mrs. Sebastian, your mother, requested breakfast be served outdoors on the back porch by the beach.”“Thank you,” Adam said, taking my hand. “Let’s head out there.”We stepped onto the back porch, and the salty ocean air and the calming rhythm of the waves in the background instantly welcomed me.The scene before us was picturesque, and I'm definitely in awe. The Long Island beach stretched out in a mesmerizing expanse of blue, and a large table had been set up under a canopy laden with an assortment of breakfast foods. The family was scattered around, some playing volleyball, others relaxing.The first person to greet us was Rachel, her face lighting up with a warm smile. “Good morning, my love birds!” She hooked her arm th
ELOISEWe stayed for a couple more days with the Sebastians, and it felt more like a vacation to me, more of a treat to myself. I checked only minimal messages from my notifications, choosing to have fun with Adam’s family instead. We watched movies together, played on the beach, chatted with everyone, and enjoyed relaxing baths every night with Adam. Not a night passed without us making love.Time flew by, and soon, it was time for us to leave. We boarded our evening flight to Edinburgh, and I couldn’t help but feel melancholy. Adam held my hand during our business class flight, his thumb gently stroking the back of my hand.“I had fun with your family,” I said, leaning my head against my seat as the flight attendants refilled our refreshments. “I never felt like I was a part of a family for a very long time.”Adam smiled, grabbing his glass of champagne and taking a sip. “I’m glad you enjoyed being with them. They liked having you around.” ”Your mom is wonderful.”“She just doesn’t
ELOISEWe each retired to our assigned bedrooms. Entering mine, I was struck by how neatly my belongings were arranged in the walk-in closet as if they had always been there.The clothes from my last stay hung in pristine condition as if they were inviting me to wear them.But I wasn’t about to conform to expectations. The last thing I wanted was to get comfortable. I didn’t belong here.I showered and changed into a shirt and jeans I had packed. I felt more myself in casual clothes than in fancy, custom-made dresses clothes, although they were actually pretty.I still wasn’t used to the lifestyle my father expected. I hadn’t heard what he planned for us after the wedding—not that I was looking forward to following his plans. Knowing Logan, he always had a scheme to control me, and here I was again, like a puppet following his commands.Adam knocked on my door, and I opened it for him. He was dressed similarly. He appeared more relaxed than I had ever seen him in someone else’s house
ELOISEAdam's reaction made my stomach clench. I stopped walking as well. “Even now, it feels like I’m being trapped. He made me fear him so much that sometimes, I feel like the knot around my ankle is still there, and I remember how hopeless I was.”“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” His voice was a low growl.“It’s all in the past now.”Adam’s face hardened, and he reached out to gently touch my arm. “It doesn’t matter when it happened. That’s unforgivable. I swear, I won’t let him hurt you again. Not while I’m here.”I nodded, swallowing hard. I knew I had to tell him. I had told no one about this, and it had been kept in my chest for so long that I knew at some point I had to get it out.“This is why I didn’t like the feeling of being helpless, being tied—being a submissive. I was already born that way; I knew you’d noticed. I knew you’d sense it, but I was done doing that; I just had no choice.”Adam frowned in confusion. “But you asked me to teach y—”I pressed a finger to hi
ELOISE The morning meeting with Dad and his wife was arranged in the drawing room. Sunshine was slipping through the curtains, illuminating my father's and Davina's serious faces. Davina had already forsaken her mourning attire; her expression was stoic yet slightly more composed than in previous days. Adam's supportive presence beside me fortified my resolve as we faced them across the room. "I'm pleased you've allowed me to organize this, Eloise. I heard from Bruce that Adam has generously offered to cover the expenses. But, it should be considered as part of Eloise's dowry," Dad began his tone, casual but calculating. I wanted to laugh. "There’s no such thing as dowries in America. The Sebastians wants an equal partnership, not outdated traditions." He nodded, acknowledging my point with a wry smile. "True, but we men must oblige to our wives—or wives-to-be, right?" He glanced at Adam for affirmation. Adam responded diplomatically, "I suppose you're right." Feeling the momen
ELOISE"We don't plan on staying here long. You can name the titles to me or whatever, but I have no experience managing your finances or business," I said with my chin up. I was going to be a Sebastian. When I finally married, Dad would no longer have much hold over me.Davina laughed humorlessly. "See that, Logan? She doesn't have what it takes. If you transfer your title to her, it will end this family.""When I transfer, Davina. It's 'when.' She will be the head of this family and have heirs with this man to continue the line. It's not futile." Dad sighed, and for the first time in my life, he was siding with me, but I wasn't naive. There was always a catch."How can I do that if I'm in the States?" I questioned."Callum will still manage the business," Davina concluded. "You will be titled, but that's all." She smirked. "Honestly, we will only need a legal binding and signature."There. The truth finally came out. They would only give me the paper title. They only needed my name