Chapter 2

“Sebastian…” Having walked the entire day without a single drop of water, my voice was raspy, the syllables scratching at my throat. “You promised me…”

Sebastian swept a disgusted glance over me from head to toe, pointing to the wall clock. “You’re late. The deal was for yesterday. It’s past midnight now.”

My lips parted, but no sound came out. He had no idea how many times I had wanted to give up, but every time the thought of him waiting for me at home in a white dress shirt crossed my mind, hope flared anew in my mind.

The thread of determination that had kept me going earlier snapped in that instant. My body went limp and I collapsed onto the floor, tears streaming down my face against my will.

Sebastian caught me with quick hands, a flicker of reluctance surfacing on his face. He scooped me up into his arms and carefully set me down on the sofa.

“Cynthia, why on earth are you so obsessed with seeing me in white dress shirts?”

Sebastian hated wearing white, yet the wardrobe was packed with white dress shirts I had bought for him.

Even though he claimed to despise me and hated me micromanaging his life, every time I bought one home, he would put it on with a stern, cold face.

In the past, whenever work wasn’t going smoothly for me, he would occasionally step into my room with an awkward posture, arms crossed over his chest.

“Here, look all you want. Stop wearing that dismal face. It’s ruining the mood.”

Whenever he did that, no matter how exhausting things were, I felt as though I could endure anything.

I didn’t answer. Reaching out, I touched the breathtaking face that haunted my dreams. Just as I was about to speak, a woman’s voice abruptly cut me off.

“Seb, you ruined all my clothes, so I had to find one of yours to put on. Why are there only white dress shirts in your closet? They don’t look good at all.”

Chloe Hart complained in a sweet, coaxing voice as she stepped out of the bedroom. She was wearing the very white dress shirt I had bought for Sebastian, her long legs covered in unmistakable marks of lovemaking.

I turned my head. The moment Chloe’s outfit came into focus, my entire frame shook, my breathing involuntarily turning heavy and ragged.

She was wearing the very same dress shirt I had bought for him.

I could tolerate her stepping all over me, or her flaunting her affection with Sebastian in my face, but she should never have touched something she had no right to touch.

I scrambled up from the couch and lunged at Chloe like a woman possessed, desperate to tear the shirt right off her body.

Chloe screamed in terror. “Cynthia, are you crazy? Seb, stop her!”

Sebastian strode over, gripping my wrist so tightly I could almost hear the bones cracking. “Cynthia, let go!”

I ignored him, dead set on stripping the white dress shirt off Chloe.

My hands trembled violently. My eyes met Sebastian’s, and he turned his head away with a flash of guilt, avoiding my gaze.

His indulgence of Chloe fueled my rage even further. But I couldn’t lay a hand on Sebastian—I was terrified of marring his face.

I broke free from his grip and threw everything I had into pulling at Chloe’s clothes.

A slap landed on Sebastian’s face.

His head was turned to the side, five vivid finger marks standing out sharply against his flawless skin.

I froze dead in my tracks, my raised hand shaking in midair.

“Have you had enough of a scene?”

I turned my head away, forcing myself to regulate my breathing. My emotions had gotten the better of me.

“What are you standing there for? Go get some ice.”

Sebastian commanded in an icy tone. Wordlessly, I turned and walked toward the refrigerator.

When I returned, his face was dark with anger. Taking in my limping stride, he snatched the ice from my hand and stuffed it into Chloe’s palm.

“Chloe can take care of me. You’d better worry about yourself. Your filthy state is an eyesore. Go clean yourself up.”

I dragged my feet toward the bathroom, pulling a necklace out from beneath my collar. Stroking it gently, I murmured under my breath:

“If only you were still here…”