His gaze was fixed on me. My heart raced as a whirlwind of emotions flooded my mind.
My pulse quickens, and my stomach tightens with worry and nostalgia. Seeing Sebastian after so long stirred up memories I thought I had buried deep in my heart. There's a flash of vulnerability hidden behind the veil of calmness I'm trying to maintain.
The air crackled with tension as I prepared myself for whatever was happening next, and I tried to calm myself with that.
"What are you doing here?"
Sebastian wasn't the same, and how stupid was it that I thought he would be kinder and gentler? What happened was the exact opposite. The man was looking more and more dangerous. More... charming and deceptive. Maturity radiate better in him. Everything about his physique was already very alluring from the first time I saw him, and it had increased many times over. However, I knew that it was just a mask. A deliberate facade to attract more victims, to cover up all the rottenness inside him.
I should have known better. I shouldn't have taken the vodka that night, and experiencing the approach of the President's son seemed much better than getting drunk with my asshole ex-husband.
"Just stopping by, and greeted my ex-wife who disappeared for five years.."
"I didn't disappear. I left, and it's not your obligation to know where I am either," I shook my head softly, stuffing my hands in my coat pockets. I stepped quietly down the small staircase while swallowing vigilantly.
My heart raced inside my chest with absolute tightness. This was terrifying.
Sebastian seemed calm and relaxed, and that bothered me. It meant he had known where I was all along and devised his plan to mess with me.
"You ran away. You didn't attend the trial five years ago," His eyes darkened. "That morning you ran away too even though I wanted to hang out with you. That seems to be your nature."
My mouth opened with lightning surprise as he brought up the moment of that damn night. I snorted. "That was your stupid game. You knew I was drunk, and you weren't. You knew me and brought me to the hotel,"
"Yeah, but it was fun, wasn't it?" he advanced again, and I immediately backed away. His eyes flashed with intense interest. My breath caught in my chest. "And you only moan my name. Just me." He continued, looking down.
Our eyes locked with each other, and I could almost feel everything happening: the bad past we had gone through and the last memory of how he and Reina were in that apartment.
I looked away, trying to calm myself down. "What do you want? Tell me quickly, I don't have time for this bullshit."
"Because you need to wake up as soon as possible tomorrow, and find a way out of your cafe's bankruptcy?" Sebastian's eyes glinted at my cafe building while I stared at him with a frown on my forehead.
Damn, how did he know that?
"That's none of your business," I said quickly. I stepped back and started to leave. "Go away, and don't appear in front of me again. Ever."
I walked past him, but his hand was already gripping my arm, and I turned my body to face him. "Until forever? Are you sure?" he asked, one eyebrow rising, his face still full of that horrible grin. It was annoying to me.
"Yes. I'm fine without you, and it gets worse when you show up," I growled, trying to release his grip on my arm.
But he strengthened his squeeze, jerking me so that I pulled my body against him. His face lowered, looking at me deeply. "I wanted to help you pay off everything." He grinned, "But you're still cocky, and .... attractive. I think we can work together."
"You're very sweet," I said sarcastically. "But I can still take care of all my own business. I don't want to sniff anything out of you, and you don't have to bother helping me." I continued, looking at him sharply.
"But some guy named John Walles says that you don't have enough time," he retorted.
My heart dropped to the bottom. He must have been around for a while for him to have met Mr. Walles.
"There are plenty of men who will help me, and they're better than you." I jerked my arm vigorously as his squeeze on my arm felt unsteady. "So, there's no need to bother because I absolutely don't want to lick your boots, and crawl under you. Go away, and don't show up in front of me again." I walked away.
Sebastian looked at me flatly, cold fire burning in his deep blue eyes. I walk past him and step towards my car, leaving him alone.
Yeah, he can go fuck himself.
***
My bedroom was a sanctuary of solitude, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight streaming through the curtains. The air was heavy with a feeling of restlessness as I sat perched on the edge of my bed, my hands clenched tightly in my lap. My gaze was distant, lost in the sea of turbulent memories that flooded my mind.
My encounter with Sebastian earlier still left a bitter taste in my mouth. The wounds of the past, which I once thought had healed, seemed to be torn apart slightly, exposing the raw emotions that had long been buried deep within my soul.
When I remembered the humiliating treatment I experienced at Sebastian's hands five years ago, a wave of anger and pain coursed through my veins, threatening to consume me from the inside. The weight of Sebastian and Reina's betrayal pressed down on my shoulders like a suffocating weight, filling the room with an oppressive tension that hung thick in the air.
I closed my eyes, forcing myself to hold back the flood of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. However, as hard as I tried, I couldn't escape the memories that haunted my every thought, each memory a painful reminder of the hurt and humiliation that Sebastian had committed.
Why did he have to appear? Why should he care so much?
My labored breath filled the silence of the room, echoing the turmoil raging inside me. My hands trembled with pent-up anger as I struggled to contain the raging storm of emotions building inside me. The urge to scream, to lash out at the unfairness of it all, threatened to consume all of me.
A soft knock on my bedroom door broke the silence, catching my attention. I looked up, my heart beating fast when I saw Mommy standing in the doorway, worry etched in the lines of her face.
"Isabella, darling, may I come in?" Mommy's voice was so soft, a soothing melody in the silence of the night.
I nodded, my throat tight with emotion, as Mommy stepped into the room and crossed the distance to sit next to me on the bed.
“I heard you came home early,” Mommy began, her voice soft and gentle. "And I can't help but worry. Is everything okay, sweety?"
I hesitated, unsure how to express the storm of emotions raging inside me. But when I met Mommy's gaze, the care and affection that radiated from her eyes, I felt a glimmer of hope rise inside me.
"It's Sebastian," I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "He appeared today, at the cafe.”
Mommy's shocked expression turned soft with empathy as she reached out to gently grasp my hand. "I see," she murmured, her touch a comforting anchor in the midst of the storm. "It must be hard for you."
Tears welled up in my eyes as I nodded, my emotions nearly spilling over. "I don't know why he suddenly appeared after five years of us..." my voice shook with emotion.
Mommy squeezed my hand reassuringly, her silent support a balm to my wounded soul. "I know, baby," she whispered, her voice filled with affection. “If he bothers you again, you should know that you're not alone in this. You're stronger than you realize, and you have people who love you standing by your side. Does he know about Ace?”
I shook my head. "No." I sighed. “Not yet. And I don't know what will happen when he finds out.” My tears came out.Mommy didn't reply anything other than pulling me in her arms.
My shoulders shook with inaudible sobs as I leaned into Mommy's arms, my tears soaking through the fabric of Mommy's sweater. At this moment, enveloped in her comforting embrace, I felt a glimmer of hope begin to emerge.
***
Kate listened to me, she shook her head slowly with a weak expression. “Why didn't you tell me from the start, idiot?” she growled angrily at me. “I can find something. A help. I can help you.”
I sighed, my head was dizzy from the lack of sleep, and how stress had taken over my head. "I just didn't want this to burden you, Kate, and I forgot too because my head was so full.”
Kate sighed and pulled a reassuring smile. “My brother probably could,” I frowned. “He's got enough money to enjoy himself until he's old, and it's better to spend it on something more useful for his heavenly savings.” she continued.
I chuckled. "I doubt he will,"
“Yeah, but he likes you. Really likes you.” Kate pulled a mysterious smile. “He will do that.”
"Kate, I don't think this is a good idea.”
“You just need to talk, I will help you.” She said a little enthusiastically. "Tonight we will come to the club, and everything will go back to the beginning."
"Kate,"
"Trust me, darling."
"I can't imagine how Killian will react when he finds out about this," I said, sighing because Beau was Killian's number one enemy, the man never liked Beau when Beau started flirting or teasing me, even though it was just a joke, and I was okay with that. It seemed like Killian's older brother syndrome would flare up brightly when Beau was around.
"He'll be quiet, and he won't interfere," Kate said.
I tilted my head, and began to consider Kate's idea. Their family is indeed rich, and I don't think I have any problems with her brother. Beau is quite pleasant and I've known him for as long as I've been friends with Kate. That's a better option than me collaborating with a stranger, right?
“Okay.” I nodded in agreement at the plan. I smiled. “We're going to your brother's club tonight.”
Kate smiled broadly, "Okay, I have to tell Beau about this first."
I was wearing a t-shirt, jeans and a leather jacket as I left my house to head to the Club after spending an hour getting Ace to sleep. He didn't want to be separated from his legos and was eager to invite anyone to play with him.Elizabeth even fell asleep in the playroom, hugging the lego while accompanying Ace to play in the playroom. Ace is good with time limits, though. He stopped when he saw Elizabeth was bored and then he would rest too. It is only when he is exhausted that I can put him to bed.Now I was in front of Kate's older brother; Beau's Club, and of course with Kate because I never dared to come here alone. Beau's Club is one of those expensive clubs with a clientele that doesn't mess around, and I'm just afraid of looking like a lost woman if I show up alone.A large bodyguard blocked our entrance. Kate widened her eyes and snorted. "Seriously! You don't know me?" with her chatty voice, she started to scold the man, but then the man next to him whispered, and his ster
"Thank you for today." Dante Romano's words made me stop as I entered my house."You're welcome. It was a good show anyway," I smiled at him."Really? I didn't expect you to like it. You were silent throughout, making me think that you don't like those kinds of social events.""Ah, no. I was just tired.""Take a rest, then. I'm sorry, today I seem to have been very troublesome for you." He said with a guilty look.I could only nod my head and smile slightly. I was still standing in the courtyard when the Italian President's son's car drove away and disappeared behind the fence of my parents' mansion. I immediately took off my smile, turned flat, and breathed a sigh of relief that I was free from the damn fake attitude that I had to wear for the past two hours. It was exhausting, it wasn't me.This must all be because of my grandfather. A few hours ago, Vito and Stella-his girlfriend just come from Milan to Boston on business, and they were with the President's son, which surprised me
Everything in my body froze. My eyes widened to look at my son, who was staring at Sebastian with his big eyes.At the same time, Ace's crying subsided. He even immediately clung to Sebastian's leg.Sebastian released his embrace on my body and looked at Ace silently. I looked at him, his expression shocked, but there was another mixture that I couldn't decipher."Papa. .. buy me a train, will you? Please Papa...," Ace said as he pulled Sebastian's hand, asking for attention. His seductive expression appeared, and he blinked his blue eyes a few times; it was what he had always used to get someone to comply with his requests.Ten seconds...Twenty seconds.Sebastian was silent.I was silent, too. Frozen with my breath rising and falling. I wondered what Sebastian would do."Buy me a real train, Papa! Now!" Ace finally cried out in annoyance because Sebastian was silent. Ace went back to crying, rolling on the floor while shouting the word real train over and over again.A few seconds a
I sat on the sofa, linking my fingers, looking down at the police officer's room. I've been here for almost three hours, waiting for Vito with Stella, and Mommy. But there was no sign of Vito coming out of the interrogation room."Has this news reached your grandpa?" Mommy asked me."If there hasn't been a call from him then he still doesn't know," I answered quietly, wringing my fingers in agitation. "What if he doens't knows?" I asked her."Then he must be told," she replied. "Only he can provide a way out."I wasn't sure about that because Vito was the golden boy of our extended family because of his political connections that could make Grandfather increase his power. On the other hand, I felt Grandfather wouldn't be happy because Sebastian Sanchez had always been in the water in the desert for him. He wouldn't let that opportunity slip away. He'd probably let Vito go to jail somehow and lick Sebastian's boots to make my ex-bastard's ego happy.The door opened, and the attorney ca
I could hardly close my eyes, always open with anxiety and restlessness. My mind couldn't stop running. I was already wandering to images of Ace being snatched from my arms.I lay beside my son and held him, stroking Ace's thick black hair and handsome face as he slept peacefully. Can't imagine what would have happened to me if Sebastian had taken him away.Even my heart hurts now.I may not be able to breathe if the time came.I hugged Ace when the back of my eyes felt stung. I held it in because I didn't want to cry. If I cry, it wouldn't stop, and it would be a loud cry and disturb Ace. I didn't want him to see me crying. He would be sad, too.I kissed his forehead and held him while staring blankly at the blue window curtains in Ace's room. I'll be like this until my head is exhausted, and then sleep.But the vibration on my cell phone on the table made me pull my gaze towards it. What kind of crazy person calls at two o'clock at night? I sighed softly and moved slightly to reach
From: UnknownHow is My Princess doing today? Are you ready to surrender? Do I have to pick you up in a horse-drawn carriage?I read the message with resentment vaporizing in my chest. My heart was beating rapidly with annoyance. I deleted the message, and I am not replying to anything.The throbbing in my head became a terrible throbbing like there were a thousand needle pricks in there.I put down my phone, looked down, pressed my head firmly with my fingers. My eyes burned, and I cried out. There's no one here. Killian has gone home.And I can cry.I can scream.I do.Standing breathless, chest burning with emotion, I threw everything on my desk. Everything, including my laptop and my work tools. Everything was a mess as it fell on the floor.I collapsed on the floor, sat up and pulled my knees up to my chest.My head was buzzing.And I felt nothing a few seconds later.All I knew was the darkness that picked me up.***"I made you some honey tea, to calm you down. I hope it will m
People say we can't pin our hopes on someone. No matter how good they are. Humans are fallible creatures, and we can disappoint others unintentionally. We can also abandon others. Our hearts can flip. One second, we love someone. The next, we can hate them.So what can help? It's by not expecting anything from someone. I've done it before, and when it hit me my whole life, I was devastated. But I found hope in myself again, which comes from trusting myself and realizing that no one else but me can make me happy.Happy with someone else? That's a bonus. But now, I don't want to accept the idea of being happy with someone else because I'm still afraid to do so.Especially since out of all the men in my life, I've had to deal with the jerks. Like Killian Davenport, he's my best friend, but it's possible that it could happen. But he's last on the list because aside from being my best friend, he's also being the jerks boyfriend for his woman. He cheated on Lynsey, his fiancee, a few times,
"Are you still standing there until night?" Sebastian's voice was full of threats, but I didn't care.I'm still standing in the courtyard in front of Sebastian Sanchez's large and luxurious mansion. I've refused to enter since Sebastian's car brought me here. Sebastian passes through the large doors, shoving both hands into his pants pockets as he walks towards me. Narrowing the distance between us."Get in, Isa." he growled lowly.I shook my head, looking away as he approached. I really wanted to get away from him now because this was beyond what I had expected. Last night, he only said that I would be staying at his apartment, but this morning, he told me to get ready to take me to this place after Ace went to his school with his driver,He took me to his mansion. I would have been fine if we were in an apartment. It was in the middle of the city, and I could feel there was a lot of hustle around me, but this... this was far from the city. It was on the outskirts of the city and env