Chapter 208

[ 952 words ]

Emilia’s POV

Oh, hell.

My brain was a mess of half-formed excuses and panic.

I hadn’t meant to lie. Not really. I just wanted to avoid Sebastian getting jealous, that’s all. I thought after tonight, there’d be no reason to see Claudine again. No reason for this to matter.

I was trying to spare his feelings.

I never expected Sebastian to show up here.

Scott saw him too. His expression wasn’t as panicked as mine, but something complicated crossed his face.

“Take your coat,” I said, already shrugging it off and shoving it back at Scott’s chest.

Then I ran.

My feet hit the pavement hard as I sprinted toward Sebastian’s car, the headlights cutting through the dark ahead of me. I could feel Scott watching me go, but I didn’t look back. Couldn’t.

I yanked open the passenger door and slid inside, breathless.

“Honey, please don’t misunderstand,” I started immediately, words tumbling out. “It’s definitely not what you think.”

Sebastian’s eyes stayed fixed on the road ahead. His jaw was set, his knuckles white around the steering wheel.

“If it wasn’t what I thought,” he said, voice cold and even, “then why did you lie?”

“I was just afraid you’d misunderstand—”

“So I won’t misunderstand now?” He turned his head just enough for me to see the sharp edge in his gaze. “That’s your logic?”

I groaned and pressed my palms against my face. “If I’d known better, I wouldn’t have lied in the first place.”

“I think you’ve gotten used to it.” He let out a short laugh, no humor in it. “Lying. Treating me like I’m some idiot who won’t notice.”

“That’s not—” I dropped my hands and stared at him. “That’s not fair. I’m sorry, okay? I promise I won’t lie to you again. Even if you don’t forgive me, even if you want to fight about it, I won’t hide things anymore. From now on, no more secrets.”

Sebastian didn’t respond. He just kept driving, faster than he should have been, the engine growling under the hood.

“Ryder’s pissed,” Eve muttered in my head.

“Yeah, I noticed.”

“Good luck with that.”

I ignored her and kept talking, because silence felt worse than babbling.

“I didn’t even know Claudine’s son was Scott until he walked through the door. You should’ve seen my face, I nearly choked on my pot roast. I know you two aren’t on good terms, so I didn’t tell you he was there. I didn’t want you to worry.”

Sebastian’s expression didn’t change.

“He just showed up out of nowhere to visit his mom. If I’d known beforehand, I never would’ve gone. You have to believe me.”

Still nothing.

I gritted my teeth and pushed forward. “You know me better than anyone. If I had feelings for Scott, I would’ve accepted him ages ago. Why would I wait until now? I only see him as a colleague. A boss. Someone I used to work for. That’s it. Because you’re everything to me, Sebastian. My heart only has room for one person, and that’s you.”

Sebastian’s hands tightened on the wheel, but he didn’t look at me. Didn’t say a word.

By the time we pulled into the garage, my throat was raw from talking. Sebastian parked the car with a sharp jerk, killed the engine, and got out without a glance in my direction.

I scrambled after him. “Honey, did you hear anything I just said?”

Nothing.

“Can’t you just say something? Please?”

We climbed the stairs together, but when we reached the top, Sebastian didn’t head for the bedroom. He turned toward the study instead and slammed the door so hard the frame rattled.

I stood there in the hallway, staring at the closed door like it might open if I willed it hard enough.

My phone buzzed in my bag. Scott’s name lit up the screen.

I hung up without answering and shoved the phone back into my purse. A second later, a text came through: “Are you okay?”

I typed back quickly. “I’m fine.”

He didn’t reply after that.

I stood there for another minute, chewing my lip, before I turned and walked into the bedroom. My mind was racing, hands shaking as I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from the nightstand.

If he wouldn’t talk to me, fine. I’d make him listen.

I poured everything onto that page. Every apology, every explanation, every raw emotion I couldn’t say out loud because he wouldn’t let me. My handwriting got messier as I went, the words running together, but I didn’t care. This was the only way I knew how to reach him.

When I finished, I folded the paper carefully and walked back to the study. I didn’t knock. I just opened the door and stepped inside.

Sebastian was sitting at his desk, staring at nothing.

“For you,” I said, holding out the letter.

He glanced at it. Then looked away.

“Read it,” I pressed, stepping closer. “I wrote it from the bottom of my heart. This is the only time I’m writing you a letter. There won’t be another one.”

I shoved it into his hand, half-expecting him to take it. To at least look at it.

Instead, Sebastian crumpled it into a tight ball and tossed it into the trash bin without even opening it.

My mouth fell open. I didn’t even have words for what he’d just done.

My face went hot, my jaw clenched tight.

“Fine,” I snapped, voice shaking. “If you want to sulk like a child, be my guest. I’ve got better things to do than beg for your attention.”

I spun on my heel, stormed out, and slammed the door behind me.

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