LOGINEveryone sat frozen, their eyes fixed on Eric as they waited for his reaction.
Autumn was no different.Her heart was racing as she watched him.Eric had hated Sebastian back when he thought the man was pursuing his wife. Now, seeing him with Chloe—This was a whole new level of complication.No one moved.For a moment, it felt like no one even breathed.“Chloe, sit down. Your boyfriend, too,” soSophia stared at her reflection in the mirror, looking every bit the lady of the mansion. She was flanked by multiple maids, all of whom were desperately trying to please her due to her perceived standing. Their hands moved quickly around her, fixing her hair, adjusting the folds of her dress, and making sure every detail of her appearance was pristine.“Mrs. Woods is so beautiful,” one maid said in a low tone, pulling Sophia out of her reverie.“Indeed, she is,” another chimed in, eager to get on her good side.Sophia maintained her usual mask of meekness and shyness, lowering her gaze slightly as though embarrassed by the attention.“Thank you, but you are being too much,” she said, attempting to curb the comments with a faux modesty. In reality, she was enjoying every second of it. The praise fed something in her that had always longed to be acknowledged, and hearing it in this house made it even sweeter.Takin
Everyone sat frozen, their eyes fixed on Eric as they waited for his reaction.Autumn was no different.Her heart was racing as she watched him.Eric had hated Sebastian back when he thought the man was pursuing his wife. Now, seeing him with Chloe—This was a whole new level of complication.No one moved.For a moment, it felt like no one even breathed.“Chloe, sit down. Your boyfriend, too,” someone muttered, the words rushed, desperate to defuse what was clearly about to explode.Chloe hesitated for a second before sitting.Sebastian followed, calm as ever.“Chloe, how did you get with a man from the Throne family in America?” Sophia asked, her gaze sweeping over him slowly.Others followed.Admiring glances.Measured looks.The expensive cut of his clothes didn’t go unnoticed. To them,
The sound of bustling footsteps around the house woke Autumn from her slumber. She couldn’t quite decide if she felt annoyance from being jolted awake or simply a deep, bone-weary tiredness.‘And they said I should focus on my rest,’ she thought bitterly.She stayed in bed for a second longer, staring at nothing, listening to the noise.It didn’t stop.Wrapped in a robe, she pushed herself up and stood, her body heavier than usual. She didn’t bother fixing her hair properly. There was no point.She was going to see what all the ruckus was about.Stepping out of her room, she nearly collided with a maid rushing past.The girl froze, bowed quickly, and mouthed an apology.Autumn waved her off with a tired hand, already moving.As she made her way downstairs, the noise only got louder.Voices. Movement. Instructions being thrown around.
In the Kingston EstateEric fixed the cuffs of his sleeves, sliding into his jacket with the practiced ease of a man born to lead. The fabric settled perfectly over his frame, as though it had been tailored with reverence.He looked every bit the successful aristocratic heir—impeccably dressed, handsome, and possessing a body that left most people desperate for his attention.Except for the one woman who currently mattered.Lately, a permanent frown had been etched onto Eric’s face because of Autumn’s behavior. It lingered even now, faint but present, as he adjusted his collar and stared at his reflection a moment longer than necessary.He had been making excuses for her constant temper, turning the thought over and over in his head until only one explanation remained.Pregnancy.It had to be.It was the only plausible reason for the stress she was causing him.
Somewhere Else Sebastian’s POV The sound of laughter filled the air as children and parents alike walked about, the adults either trying to appease their children’s curiosity or stop the wailing of the little ones with them. “Here you go,” Sebastian said, handing Chloe an ice cream cone. “Eat it quickly before it melts,” he added, taking the seat next to her. “This looks nice,” he sighed, settling back as he began to dig into his own. Chloe didn’t eat immediately. She held the cone carefully, as though it might fall apart in her hands, her eyes fixed on it with a strange mix of curiosity and caution. Slowly, she leaned in and took a small, hesitant lick. Sebastian watched her. For a second, he said nothing. Then— “You look like you’re constipated,” he said. He threw himself backward with a laugh, loud enough to draw attention from a few passersby. “I am not constipated!” she huffed, her voice rising louder than she probably intended. The way she snapped made a few people gla
Every eye was still fixated on her, waiting for her reaction to this singular news. But instead of reacting, she simply filled her bowl and Fin’s with soup.“Chloe, do you want some?” she asked, lifting her head to address Chloe and giving Sophia no mind whatsoever. The dismissal made Sophia bite her lips to stop herself from lashing out and saying something she might regret.“O-of course,” Chloe said with a strained smile; what else was she going to do? Her aunt basically didn’t care, so why should she? “It’s delicious,” she added, trying to ease the tension in the room, but it did nothing to stop it.The rest of dinner was eaten in awkward silence, with no party willing to cooperate or speak to one another. The only small talk that happened was Chloe asking surface-level questions to Autumn and others to Sophia, trying not to stir the pot while not leaving anyone out.**Autumn sat in her room ready for bed, but the space was in disarray compared to how it was usually kept. She stoo
Sebastian’s POVHe sat on the leather sofa overlooking the London skyline. It was a starless night, the moon’s rays smothered by heavy, glowing clouds. Below, the city buzzed with artificial life, yet it was nothing compared to the absolute darkness residing within the sanctity of this room.“Repor
The chandeliers gleamed high up in the ceiling, casting a beautiful, intricate spiral of glass against the ornate plaster. Why was I so invested in a ceiling and a bunch of crystals? I didn't know. Maybe it was just the sheer weight of the stress, the kind that makes your neck stiff and your mind l
It was already getting dark by the time we arrived at the location where Sarah and Fin would be staying from now on. Even though I didn’t want to burden Eric with this, he had flatly refused to let me handle it alone. I had argued that they were my responsibility, but in truth, I was simply terrif
I asked a passing maid where Eric was, and she directed me toward the sunroom. I walked off, giving my thanks before she could even finish speaking. How dare he treat me in such a manner? I am not a child he can simply restrict from going out; I am a grown woman, and my son’s life is currently at r







