Chapter 6:

Skylar

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

“Careful, Skylar, you just agreed without knowing what you’re really signing up for.”

He held my gaze for another long second, then straightened his suit jacket.

“A member of the staff will be here shortly to prepare you.”

I frowned. “P-prepare me?”

He was already walking toward the door. “You'll understand soon enough.”

Before I could stop him or demand an explanation, the door clicked shut behind him.

Silence swallowed the room. I stared at the closed door, half expecting him to come back and admit this had all been some elaborate joke.

But he didn’t.

I let out a slow, shaky breath and rubbed my temples, trying to ease the pounding in my head.

Barely a minute later, three soft knocks sounded against the door.

“Come in,” I called, my voice hesitant.

The door opened to reveal a young woman who looked to be in her early twenties. She wore a neatly pressed black uniform with crisp white accents, her dark hair pulled into a sleek ponytail.

A warm smile spread across her face, gentle enough to ease some of my nerves but professional enough to remind me she was just working.

She gave a small bow. “Good afternoon, Miss Skylar.”

“My name is Lily. The master asked me to prepare you before we leave.”

I blinked in confusion. “Leave?”

“Yes, Miss.” Lily smiled politely.

“Leave for where?” I asked, still not understanding where in the world we could possibly be going.

“The main residence,” she said simply.

My eyes drifted around the room again.

The polished marble floors. The crystal chandelier hanging overhead. The enormous windows overlooking manicured gardens.

Confusion settled deeper inside me. "…This isn't his house?”

Lily’s smile remained perfectly polite. “It belongs to the master.”

I frowned. “Then why are we leaving?”

“Because this isn’t where he lives.”

My brows furrowed in confusion.

Lily continued as though she hadn’t just flipped my entire understanding of the situation upside down.

“This is one of the master’s private residences. He’s taking you to his main residence—where he actually lives.”

I just stared at her, momentarily speechless.

This place I'd mistaken for the home of one of the richest men I’d ever met wasn’t even his main residence. If this was just one of his private properties, then just how wealthy was he?

Lily seemed to notice my stunned silence but didn’t comment on it.

Instead, she offered another polite smile.

“Are you feeling well enough to stand, Miss Skylar?”

I hesitated for only a second before nodding. “I think so.”

“Very well.” She stepped aside, gesturing toward the door. "Please follow me.”

I slipped off the bed, grateful that the dizziness from the accident had mostly faded, and followed quietly behind her.

The moment we stepped into the hallway, I found myself slowing.

The entire floor was breathtaking.

Everything about it was understated yet impossibly luxurious. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked perfectly manicured gardens, while every piece of artwork looked as though it belonged in a museum rather than a private residence.

Lily stopped in front of a pair of double doors and pushed them open.

I froze.

It wasn't another bedroom. It was a walk-in wardrobe larger than my entire apartment before I got married.

Rows upon rows of perfectly tailored dresses stretched before me in every shade imaginable. Shelves displayed handbags arranged with meticulous precision. Shoes lined illuminated glass cabinets, while elegant jewelry sparkled beneath soft lighting.

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

“When…” I whispered, still staring at everything around me. “When did he buy all of this?”

Lily glanced at me, almost amused by my reaction. “The master didn't buy these today.”

She said it so casually that it took my brain a moment to process.

"What do you mean?”

Without answering directly, she walked toward one of the wardrobes and carefully slid the doors open.

After scanning the collection, she selected a dress and laid it carefully across a nearby table.

“The master selected this himself.”

The dress was breathtaking.

It was a floor-length champagne-coloured dress crafted from smooth silk that shimmered softly whenever it caught the light. The neckline was graceful without revealing too much, while the fitted waist flowed effortlessly into a long, elegant skirt.

***

Several minutes later, I stepped in front of the full-length mirror.

The dress fit perfectly. Too perfectly. It wasn't slightly loose nor slightly tight.

The waist hugged me flawlessly. The length stopped exactly where it should. Even the sleeves rested comfortably against my arms as though every measurement had been taken personally.

I slowly turned, unable to hide my disbelief. “H-how?”

My voice came out barely above a whisper. “How did he know my size?”

Lily paused. “The master has his ways.”

She said it so matter-of-factly that I almost thought I'd misheard her.

I frowned.

That didn't answer my question. If anything, it only made me wonder what kind of man Sebastian Blackwood really was.

Lily led me out of the room and down the sweeping staircase.

Outside, a sleek black luxury SUV waited beneath the covered entrance, its glossy finish reflecting the afternoon sun.

Two men dressed in tailored black suits stood beside it, earpieces tucked discreetly behind their ears.

Security.

The moment Lily and I approached, one of the men gave a respectful nod before stepping forward to open the rear door.

“Miss,” he said politely.

I hesitated for the briefest moment before climbing inside. The leather seat was softer than anything I'd ever sat on.

I had barely settled in when—

“Comfortable?”

A gasp escaped my lips.

I turned sharply.

Sebastian sat beside me. He hadn't even looked up from the tablet resting on his lap.

My heart gave an embarrassing little jump.

How had I not noticed him?

He looked as composed as ever, dressed in another perfectly tailored charcoal suit, as though proposing marriage to a stranger was simply another appointment on his schedule.

The door closed.

A second later, the SUV pulled smoothly away. Neither of us spoke. The silence wasn't awkward; it was… intimidating.

I folded my hands together to stop myself from fidgeting, then looked out the window.

The city gradually disappeared behind us.

Busy streets gave way to quieter roads lined with towering trees and immaculately maintained landscapes.

A few minutes later, a massive security gate appeared ahead.

The guards barely glanced inside before the gates began to slide open. Beyond them lay an estate unlike anything I'd ever seen.

Wide roads. Elegant modern homes hidden among perfectly landscaped greenery. Private security vehicles patrolled the streets. Everything about the place whispered power.

“The Blackwood estate…” I murmured under my breath.

“This isn't the Blackwood estate.”

The calm voice beside me made me freeze. That was when I realized I had spoken loudly enough for him to hear.

I turned sharply toward Sebastian who still wasn't looking at me.

“This,” he said evenly, “is mine.”

My breath hitched.

Just who had I agreed to marry?