Chapter 1

 

Lancaster Hotel

The ornate doors of the hotel swung open, and the Whitfield family spilled out into the windy night. Rupert ushered his father, Edmund, toward the waiting town car.

"You and Mother can go ahead," Rupert said, flashing a deceptively harmless smile as he waved to his parents in the back seat. "We'll ride back with Cassandra."

Edmund Whitfield studied his son's innocent expression and frowned slightly. "Rupert, do not try to bully your sister."

"I know, I know. I'm not a child anymore, Father, you don't need to lecture me," Rupert replied smiling. "Didn't you say we ought to spend more time bonding? I'm simply creating an opportunity to communicate with Eleanor."

Convinced by the sincerity on Rupert's face, Edmund gave a satisfied nod and signaled the driver to move on. As the car pulled away, only four people remained standing beneath the hotel's grand awning.

"James, be a dear and fetch the car. We'll wait for you here," Rupert directed.

"Of course," the young man replied gently. He turned and descended the steps toward the valet.

Eleanor watched James walk away, a pang of grief flashing in her eyes. She masked it instantly, burying the emotion before anyone could seize upon her vulnerability.

With their parents gone, the amiable smile vanished from Rupert's face. He sneered, shooting Eleanor a provocative glare. "Listen here, Eleanor. You know your place. Try not to make a scene tonight."

"Rupert, that's enough," Cassandra scolded lightly, though there was no reality in her voice.

"Don't stop me, Cass," Rupert snapped. "It's about time this stray remembered where she comes from. She thinks just because Father pities her, she can do whatever she pleases? Trying to seduce my future brother-in-law... she's absolutely shameless!"

Brother-in-law...

Eleanor’s lips curved upward into a bitter, self-deprecating smile.

Cassandra narrowed her eyes. She gracefully adjusted her sleeves and spoke with slowness. "Eleanor, I do not care what sort of friendship you and James shared in the past. He is my fiancé now."

Cassandra's gaze was soft, yet very oppressive. The humiliation twisted in Eleanor's chest. Because of that privilege of Cassandra being the family’s true daughter, the man she loved had been transformed from her devoted partner into her future brother-in-law.

"I know," Eleanor said softly, lowering her gaze to hide the biting sorrow in her eyes. "I've cut all ties with him."

"That is for the best," Cassandra replied.

Hearing the submission in Eleanor's voice, the tension Cassandra had been holding dissipated. She didn't voice a single threat, but her pretense was suffocating Eleanor. 

Eleanor bit the inside of her cheek. Do not bow your head, she chanted silently. Do not break. No person and no amount of wealth could strip away the last of her pride.

Beep!

James tapped the horn of his approaching car, peering at them through the rolled-down window.

Cassandra and James exchanged a knowing smile. Turning back to Eleanor, Cassandra spoke with a sweetly "Come along. We shall drive you home."

"No, thank you. A friend is picking me up. You two go on ahead," Eleanor replied instinctively. The very thought of sharing a confined space with her "perfect" foster sister and the man who had broken her heart made her skin crawl.

"We're in the hills; taxis rarely come up this far," Cassandra pointed out like an angel offering some help to a stranger. "If you don't ride down with us, you'll be walking for two hours. Don't be childish, Eleanor. Get in the car."

A hot flare of resentment ignited in Eleanor's chest. She loathed Cassandra's words and her fake charity. It was a reminder of why James had abandoned her: Eleanor could only offer him love, while Cassandra could offer him money, status, and a guaranteed future.

"It really isn't necessary. Look, my ride is already here," Eleanor lied smoothly, desperate for an escape.

Without waiting a second, she walked toward a sleek, black Bentley that had just pulled up to the curb. Reaching the luxury vehicle, she paused by the door, offered a perfect wave to Cassandra, and slipped into the back seat. Her movements were natural, as though she stepped into that kind of luxury every day of her life.

Cassandra's eyes narrowed as jealousy and resentment flashed in her stare. Wordlessly, she slid into the passenger seat of James's car and gestured for him to drive away.

As they pulled away, Cassandra glared angrily at the black Bentley through the side mirror. She stared at it for a long time, so consumed by sudden suspicion that she didn't even hear James calling her name.

Inside the Bentley, Eleanor's slightly tears filled eyes met two pairs of midnight-dark eyes.

The two of them, one a grown man, the other a small boy who shared the exact same handsome features and the same expressionless stare.

Eleanor forced an awkward smile. "Ah... sorry. I seem to have gotten into the wrong car."

"We know," the man and the boy replied in unison.

"Right. Well, I'll just get out then."

"Alright," they said, perfectly synchronized once more.

"It's just..." Eleanor swallowed hard, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She glanced out the window and saw that James had already driven away with Cassandra. A wave of relief washed over her, followed by a faint smile. Taking a breath, she looked back at the striking man beside her.

"I apologize for barging into your vehicle, sir. I'll get out now. Thank you for letting me hide." She gave him an apologetic nod, reaching for the door handle.

"Wait."

Sebastian spoke with a low, surprisingly pleasant voice.

He studied her closely. From the moment she had spoken her first word, it felt like he had met her before. He had noticed her earlier, standing on the steps of the hotel. Her profile had been clean and stubborn, but the gloom in her expression had triggered a memory he hadn't touched in years. He had subconsciously ordered his driver to pull up, driven by an urge to confirm a suspicion he barely understood. And then, surprisingly, she had climbed right in.

Eleanor paused, looking at him with a hint of suspicion. Beside her, little Theo also turned to stare at his father.

Catching his son's deeply skeptical gaze, Sebastian felt guilty. However, he was the father here, and he refused to be intimidated by a six-year-old's stare. Clearing his throat softly, Sebastian ignored Theo and kept his focus on Eleanor.

"You were waiting for a friend, were you not? If they have been delayed, my driver can take you down the hill."

Eleanor looked at him in surprise, as happiness blossomed in her. On such a bitter night, encountering a stranger's unprompted kindness felt like a rare gift. He was offering her a lifeline, saving her from a two-hour trek in the dark, and more importantly, he had saved her from breaking down in front of Cassandra and James.

After only a moment's hesitation, she nodded. "If it isn't too much trouble. Thank you."

Sebastian offered a politely detached smile and instructed his driver to proceed.

Silence settled over the cabin. Feeling out of place in the luxurious interior, Eleanor kept her eyes glued to the window, her fingers anxiously twisting the strap of her handbag.

"Hey, lady. Did you climb into our car because you want to seduce my father?"

The child's voice piped up. It was an incredibly sweet voice, but the words were anything but.

Eleanor's head snapped around, her eyes widening as she stared at little Theo. The boy looked back at her with those dark, solemn eyes. His round face was entirely serious, but showing innocence, as if he hadn't just asked something completely outrageous.

She fought down the sudden urge to laugh and matched his serious expression. "Don't worry. I have no designs on your father. I'm completely uninterested in being anyone's stepmother."

The moment the words left her mouth, the atmosphere in the car changed.

Pretending to casually adjust her posture, she glanced up and met Sebastian's gaze. His eyes were fixed on her. Being observed so intensely made Eleanor feel irrationally guilty. She cleared her throat and began to babble, offering an explanation no one had asked for.

"Being a stepmother is a terrible job, honestly. If you do it perfectly, everyone just takes it for granted and assumes it's your duty. But the second you make a mistake, everyone vilifies you. So, really, it's a completely thankless task. Not interested at all..."

Eleanor trailed off, her eyes darting between the man and the boy, who were both staring at her in silence. She mentally smacked her forehead.

She instantly regretted not jumping out of the car when she had the chance. Why on earth was she rambling about step-parenting to total strangers? She hadn't been trying to play hard to get, but she was certainly making a fool of herself now.