Ava sat on her bed, staring blankly at the wall as she thought about the event she had to attend with Sebastian. It was just a couple of days away, and she was already feeling the pressure building up inside her. She had agreed to be Sebastian's fake fiancée to help him impress his investors, but she never thought it would be this hard.The night before had been intense! Sebastian had practiced being affectionate with her. He had gently caressed her face and neck, telling her it was just for her to get used to his touch. But the truth was, Ava yearned for more. She wanted to feel his lips on hers, to run her fingers through his hair, and to lose herself in his embrace. Ava knew that things couldn't escalate between them. They had signed a contract stating that they couldn't fall in love, and she was afraid that if they crossed that line, she would be the first one to fall. Sebastian was attractive, charming, and everything she had ever wanted in a man, but she had to remind herself t
Sebastian sat behind the wheel of his car, staring out the windshield at the city skyline as he drove towards Ava's apartment building. He couldn't help but feel a sense of nervousness fluttering in his chest as he thought about what he was going to say to her.Things had been awkward between them ever since the night in his apartment, where he had touched her face and neck to help her get used to his touch. The tension between them was palpable, and he wasn't sure how to navigate it.He pulled up in front of her building and parked his car, taking a deep breath before getting out. The night air was cool and crisp, and the sound of the city surrounded him as he made his way toward the entrance.As he rode up the elevator, his mind raced with thoughts of how to break the ice between them. He had always been good with words, but when it came to Ava, he found himself stumbling and unsure of himself.And that never happened to him. Dammit, the woman was going to reduce him to a blundering
As Ava and Sebastian stepped out of their car, they were immediately swarmed by a pack of paparazzi, who thrust cameras and microphones in their faces. Ava felt her body tense up as she was blinded by the flashes of the cameras.Sebastian, however, seemed unfazed by the attention. He put a protective arm around Ava's waist, pulling her close to his body. She could feel his warmth and strength, and it made her feel a little more secure."Just relax," he whispered in her ear. "It's all part of the show."Ava nodded, trying to take deep breaths to calm her racing heart. The paparazzi were shouting out questions, asking about their relationship and their plans for the future. But Sebastian was right - they were just playing a role. Ava reminded herself to stay in character.As they made their way towards the entrance of the hall, the paparazzi continued to swarm around them, snapping photos and shouting questions. Ava could feel the intensity of their stares, and she was grateful for Seba
Sebastian couldn't help but think about how much he wanted Ava. The way she moved against him during the dance had been so enticing. He watched her every move, wanting to touch her again, to feel her skin against his. He knew he wasn't supposed to fall in love with her, but he couldn't help it. As the party continued, Sebastian and Ava mingled with the other guests, sipping champagne and laughing at the jokes that were made. But Sebastian's mind was elsewhere. He couldn't stop thinking about how badly he wanted Ava, how he wanted to kiss her and hold her in his arms. He tried to shake the thoughts out of his head, but they persisted. Fuck me. He thought. He couldn't believe how much he was starting to obsess over Ava. He knew he shouldn't be feeling this way, but the more he tried to push her out of his mind, the stronger his desire for her became. He went to the bar, hoping to drink himself into a stupor and forget about her.He ordered a scotch on the rocks and downed it quickly,
During the ride home, Sebastian was quiet. Ava had no idea what to say to fill the awkward silence. What was there to talk about? The party had gone well. Laura was convinced that they were in love and that only meant they were successful. Yet somehow it seemed something had gone wrong. "Did I do something wrong?" She asked Sebastian as she drove but he raised his shoulders in a shrug and continued looking outside the window. "That's not helping Sebastian," she murmured. He remained quiet however much to her sadness. Giving up on making a conversation, she drove quietly until they reached his penthouse. As they stepped into the elevator, Sebastian leaned against the wall, closing his eyes."Ava," he murmured, his voice low and husky."Yes, Sebastian?" Ava asked, her heart racing a little."Did you... Have a good time?" He asked. She nodded even though he couldn't see her. "Yeah. Thank you.""I'm glad." He said. The doors pinged open, his living room right in view. "Your keys,"
Sebastian groans as he wakes up with a throbbing headache. He rubs his temples and sits up on his bed, trying to shake off the hangover from the previous night. As he looks around his messy apartment, he realizes he needs to clean up. He puts on some music and starts cleaning, throwing away empty bottles, and picking up trash from the night before. As he moves around the room, he can't help but think about Ava and their encounter at the party. He had wanted to kiss her, to feel her lips on his, but she had refused.Shaking off the thought, he continues with his cleaning, before deciding to make breakfast. He heads to the kitchen and starts preparing eggs and bacon, trying to distract himself from his thoughts of Ava. As he cooks, the aroma of the sizzling bacon fills his apartment, making him even hungrier. He sets the table and sits down to eat, enjoying the silence of his apartment. He thinks about calling Ava, but decides against it, not wanting to appear too needy or desperate.
"Just go in," Sebastian muttered to himself, gripping the steering wheel.It was late at night that Sunday and after doing everything he possibly could to ignore his guilty conscience, he could swear that all he did that day reminded him of Ava.Reminded him of his slip up and how he needed to urgently fix things before shit hit the fan.He should have called her."Well she didn't call me either," he grumbled, finding a reason to be mad at her even though he had nothing. If she hadn't woken him out of his madness with that slap, who knew what he could have done that night.His knuckles whitened even more as he gripped the wheel harder. Shit really could have hit the fan. He could still recall her declarative words… If you keep treating me like this…"It was just one mistake!" He growled. Perhaps not entirely but at least the part where he had claimed to own her was one.The kiss however was a different thing entirely.Even with guilt racking heavily on his mind, Sebastian didn't feel
Chapter Thirty TwoAt first they both stared at each other like love struck fools. At least that was what Kim thought as she watched her sister hold gazes with a man who suddenly became an important aspect of their lives. It was funny how two weeks ago, she and Ava were nobodies. And now? They had barely spent thirty minutes in the club they went to before someone recognized Ava as the famous Cinderella Bancroft. From literal rags to riches. Her classmates would not let her rest. Questions always arose every single time she stepped on school grounds and honestly? She'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the attention one bit. People wanted to be her. They either showed it through jealousy or flat out telling her they envied her. And Kim liked that very much. Besides, they got to move out of their dingy apartment into the most fabulous house she had ever seen. That was a blessing. And she was grateful for it. What she wasn't grateful for however was Sebastian hurting her sister.