Chapter 30

‎“Edward said he had someone he loved. Do you know who it is?” she asked, her voice quiet but insistent, her eyes fixed sharply on Jackson’s face, watching every flicker of expression. She took another sip from her glass, though the drink did little to numb the ache in her chest. The bitterness of rejection clung to her more stubbornly than the alcohol ever could.

‎

‎Jackson hesitated, caught off guard. “What? Oh… it’s true. I’ve seen her once before,” he finally replied, a flash of surprise lighting his eyes. But it disappeared quickly, replaced by a more composed look. Deep down, he wondered if Edward had mentioned this so-called woman just to push Caroline away, to force her to let go.

‎

‎“Really?” she said, brows knitting together. Her voice held a mixture of disbelief and hurt. “But I haven’t seen any woman around him all year. Where does she live? Is she beautiful?” A trace of jealousy seeped into her words, and she looked at Jackson with narrowed eyes, impatient for answers.

‎

‎Jackson only shook his head slowly. “Why don’t you ask Edward yourself? One thing I know for sure, he loves her,” he said deliberately, hoping that would be enough to make Caroline move on.

‎

‎She looked down, her grip tightening around the glass. “Oh… but why didn’t he tell me sooner?” she whispered, her voice weighed down with sadness. Her eyes began to glisten, and it wasn’t long before they turned red.

‎

‎Jackson hesitated for a moment, then spoke gently. “There’s someone else who loves you, someone you don’t even realize. Maybe… if you give him a chance—”

‎

‎He didn’t get to finish, and a voice cut through the heavy silence.

‎

‎“Well done, guys,” Sebastian said, his tone casual but his eyes flashing sharply toward Jackson in warning. He stepped inside, turning his gaze to Caroline, who looked up at him with a startled expression.

‎

‎“Caroline… are you okay?” he asked, his voice awkward but filled with concern as he moved to sit beside her. His eyes met hers, and he noticed how red and glassy they were, tears threatening to spill over.

‎

‎“Brother Seb, what are you doing here?” Caroline asked, wiping away the tears that had finally slipped down her cheeks. She looked at Sebastian closely, now really looked. His handsome face was familiar, comforting, and suddenly everything began to click. All the times he’d shown up when she was sick, heartbroken, or facing something difficult, it had never been coincidence, though she had always told herself it was. She wasn’t a teenager anymore, and she certainly wasn’t naïve. Jackson’s earlier words echoed in her mind, tying the pieces together.

‎

‎“I was just passing by and saw Jackson’s car, so I stopped. I didn’t expect to see you here,” Sebastian replied, a little too smoothly. His gaze held hers steadily, but she noticed the concern in his eyes was too deep to be casual.

‎

‎“Just passing by?” Caroline asked, a smirk playing at her lips now. She found his attempt at lying strangely endearing. She glanced at Jackson, whose face betrayed surprise. That alone confirmed her suspicion, Jackson had called Sebastian. She didn’t know when, but she was sure of it.

‎

‎“Yes,” Sebastian said calmly, shifting his attention to Jackson. His eyes silently asked if Jackson had revealed anything, anything at all about his feelings for Caroline.

‎

‎Jackson met his look with a slight shake of the head and a subtle nod, reassuring him that he hadn’t said a word.

‎

‎Their silent exchange might have gone unnoticed by anyone else, but Caroline caught it all. And in that moment, something shifted inside her.

‎

‎“Brother Seb, did you ever have a girlfriend?” Caroline asked, a sly smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she watched the confused expression settle on Sebastian’s face.

‎

‎Sebastian blinked, caught off guard. “No,” he answered, a bit too quickly. His heart gave an awkward skip as he caught her smiling at him. Was she teasing him? Or, was there something more behind that look? The thought lingered longer than it should have. If she was hinting at something, he wouldn't mind at all. He had liked Caroline—no, been interested in her for years now. But timing, circumstances, everything had always gotten in the way.

‎

‎Jackson, seated across them with a drink in hand, leaned in with a mischievous grin. “Miss Jone, are you interested in my friend?” he asked, giving Sebastian a knowing wink. “Seems like someone’s getting lucky this morning.”

‎

‎Caroline chuckled, her smile turning even more wicked. “I actually know someone who’s interested in you, Brother Seb. And since you don’t have a girlfriend, I thought… why not play matchmaker?” She tossed him a devilish look.

‎

‎Sebastian's mood dropped in an instant. His brows furrowed, and the faint trace of hope in his chest twisted into a knot. So she wasn't talking about herself after all.

‎

‎Jackson, mid-sip of his whiskey, suddenly choked on his drink. He coughed hard, his face flushing red as he struggled to recover. “Miss Jone, you're really something,” he said between coughs, still eyeing the dynamic between the two with barely concealed amusement. One of them looked like he was about to explode; the other, like a cat toying with her favorite mouse.

‎

‎Sebastian forced a tight smile. “Caroline, thanks, but I’m not interested,” he said flatly, trying to keep his voice neutral. It came out colder than he intended. Still, the burning irritation inside him was hard to hide.

‎

‎“You haven’t even seen her yet,” Caroline said sweetly, clearly enjoying herself far too much. The teasing lilt in her voice made it obvious she wasn’t done. But before she could continue, Sebastian cut her off.

‎

‎“Caroline,” he said, his voice sharp now, laced with a simmering anger. His eyes locked onto her amused expression, and something inside him cracked. If only she could really see him, notice him for who he was. Not just some joke to poke fun at.

‎

‎“Wow,” she said, laughing softly, “I never knew Brother Seb could look so cute when he’s angry.” Her gaze dropped to the deep frown on his brow, and without thinking, she reached out, gently smoothing it with her fingers. He stiffened at the touch, his entire body tensing, but she didn’t pull back. Her smile only deepened.

‎

‎“Alright, alright—seems like I better excuse myself before things get really intense,” Jackson said, standing abruptly. He gave Sebastian a pointed wink, receiving a hard glare in return. Still grinning, he strolled toward the bar’s exit, leaving the two behind.

‎

‎The air between Sebastian and Caroline was thick with unspoken words, tension crackling like static between them. And yet, beneath the irritation, the teasing, and the confusion, something else lingered—something that neither of them seemed ready to admit.