Whatever it took, Sheila would tear Kourtney down and reclaim her pride. The pride she lost when Kourtney flung a hand across her cheek in front of everybody at that afternoon tea party they held last time.She could never forget that incident because nobody, dead or alive had ever dared to hit her before, not even her parents or Grandpa Woods.Receiving a public slap from a nobody had to be the biggest humiliation of her entire life and she wouldn't let Kourtney go until she got her lick back.Once again, she imagined Kourtneyâs fall: the headlines, the scandal, the shame, Sebastianâs disgust.Wouldn't that be so satisfying?She glanced at her mother, whose eyes mirrored her own venom. They didnât need words; their shared hatred for Kourtney was a bond stronger than blood.Danaâs eyes seem to whisper. âWeâll handle her, darling. Trust me!âAnd that was all the motivation Sheila needed.âŠ.**********It was Wednesday morning, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Kourtney w
Across the table, Sheilaâs mother, Dana Woods, wasnât faring much better. Her lips were pursed so tightly theyâd nearly vanished, and her fingers toyed with the pearl necklace at her throat, a nervous habit. âFather, you⊠You canât seriously mean to bring âherâ back here. I mean sheâsâââShut your little trap, Diana.â Grandpa Woods set his fork down with a deliberate clink.Danaâs face went even paler.She'd been his daughter-in-law for over two decades now, living here at the Woods Villa, and yet, the old man still didn't pronounce her name correctly.How pathetic was that?âNow, listen you frogs. Iâm dead serious. That terrible suckerââ he jabbed a finger at the empty chair where Sebastian usually sat whenever he remembered the way to the Woods Villa. ââneeds to bring Kourtney back to this villa. For a whole week. I want my family whole again.ââWHAT??â the women seemed to scream in unison.The table erupted. Murmurs turned to hisses, and their disdain spilled over like wine from an
Scarletâs wrist was bandaged from the slashes sheâd made in her desperation to drown out the emotional agony with physical pain.An IV was dripped into her arm.Her mother, Eva Thompson, sat beside her, eyes red and puffy, clutching her hand tightly.âYouâre awake,â she choked out, tears spilling down her cheeks. âOh, thank God.âScarlet hissed bitterly, then turned away, shame and anger bubbling inside her.They should have just let her die!She didnât want pity.She didnât want comfort.She wanted only Sebastian.She wanted her life back.âSweetheart, why?â her mother whispered. âWhy would you do this to yourself?âScarletâs lips parted, but no words came. She had nothing to say.How could she explain the emptiness, the rage, the obsession that consumed her?That Kourtney had taken everything, and Scarlet had nothing left: nothing but the burning need to reclaim what was hers.âScarlet,â her mother said again, squeezing her hand. âYou really scared us so much. What would people say
The front door creaked open, and Jamie, Sebastianâs assistant, stepped inside, freezing mid-stride. His eyes widened, his tablet nearly slipping from his hands as he took in the scene.Okay! This is awkward!The sudden intrusion shattered the spell, and Kourtney squeaked. Her face turned tomato-red as she scrambled to sit up straighter, smoothing her dress in a futile attempt to look composed.Jamie had walked in just in time to see them smooching and making out shamelessly on the living room couch. She felt a little embarrassed.Sebastian, on the other hand, looked ready to fire someone. âJamie,â he said, his voice dangerously calm, âthis better be good.âAs usual, Sebastianâs reaction was different. His face was filled with annoyance as if he had just been denied his favorite cookie. It was obvious he hated being interrupted like this, especially when he was having a good time with his wife.Jamie better have a damn good reason for barging in here.Meanwhile, Jamieâs mouth opened an
âSo⊠did you miss me that much?â Kourtney asked as she stared deep into his icy blue eyes while playing with his left ear.Sebastian chuckled, a dark, sinful sound.âBaby, you have no idea what you do to me.â His voice was a low rumble, sending shivers down her spine.She bit her lip, trying to hide how much his words affected her.His gaze dropped to her lips, then lower, taking in the way her dress hugged her curves. âHow am I supposed to focus on anything else when youâre sitting here, driving me wild?âThe villaâs grand living room, with its high ceilings and polished marble floors, seemed to fade into the background, the servantsâ quiet movements barely registering. It was just the two of them, caught in a bubble that made her skin tingle.âYouâre not exactly subtle, Mr. Woods.âSebastianâs grin widened, his voice glinting with that dangerous, playful edge that always made her âwaterâ down there. âSubtle? Never been my style, Mrs. Woods.âHis hands slid up her sides, slow and del
The servants standing close by were all putting on a straight face. Kourtney wondered if they weren't paying any attention to her conversation with Lilian. Or maybe, they were just so good at pretending they weren't.Whatever the case may be, she suspected that it was the latter.âHe what?? Donât leave me hanging! Did he sweep you off your feet? Did he growl at the paparazzi like a sexy caveman? I need details!â Lilian was screaming into the phone now, so much so that Kourtney had to turn down the volume, not wanting the servants to hear her.For a split second, she thought she had gone deaf from the screams.âYouâre too much. Letâs just say he made it clear Iâm âhis.ââOoh, possessive billionaire vibes!â Lilian said dreamily. âOkay, weâre meeting on Wednesday at our favorite Coffee shop by 5 p.m. I need to see your famous face in person. Remember, you also need to get your glam up and take more photos. We have to make plans.ââDone,â Kourtney agreed, her heart lighter.She loved the