Chapter 4: A Glimmer Of Hope

Sebastian Woods forgot himself for a brief moment as the faint scent of the woman's floral perfume wafted through his nose.

He was surprised by the rush of emotions surging through him. He hadn't felt this way in years, ever since the onset of his unusual allergy. The woman appeared slightly taken aback by his sudden presence, but she quickly composed herself.

Her lips curved into a sweet smile as she replied politely. "Well, sir. It seems our cars had an unfortunate collision because I was distracted earlier. Thankfully, no one appears to be injured. I'm really sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused you.”

Sebastian nodded, his gaze still fixed on her. "Hmph! I see.”

Meanwhile, Kourtney was stupefied as she stared up at the man big, tall man. She was a full 5ft10, which was more than average for a lady's height. But standing in front of him still made her feel tiny, like a dwarf.

What's worse? The man’s appearance was more than breathtaking. It was simply out of this world. She found herself admiring his chiseled features, striking blue eyes, and broad shoulders. He was like a modern-day Greek God who seemed to have walked straight out of a painting.

She also couldn't help but notice how his perfectly-tailored exquisite suit hugged his athletic-like body showcasing his muscular and powerful physique.

Her cheeks turned a fresh shade of red as she met his gaze once more.

"Yeah... Um... Again, I'm sorry about the collision. I was just telling your driver here that I was willing to cover the cost of the damages if you don't mind,” Kourtney said smoothly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears.

Sebastian gulped. “What’s your name?” he said with a slightly husky voice.

“Uh??”

“Your name,” he replied with a hint of annoyance. He hated repeating himself, and he was growing impatient, wanting to know more about her and where she came from.

”Kourt... Kourtney Allen,” she finally blurted out. Her eyes showed a little indifference, adding to the allure and intrigue that surrounded her.

“Hmmmm,” was his only reply.

Sebastian peeked at his senior assistant, Jamie, who stood a small distance away as if conveying an instruction. Jamie has been working for him for over six years. He surely didn't need words to tell him what his stoic boss wanted him to do. He quickly brought out his iPad to search for the name, “Kourtney Allen.”

Meanwhile, Kourtney guessed he asked for her name to get the insurance information he needed for the car repairs.

”You don’t have to worry, Sir. I’m not running away. I already said I’d pay for the repair cost because I don't like to owe debts. So let us handle the necessary formalities through our insurance companies.”

“Sure,” Sebastian said haughtily, his superiority evident in that one syllable.

His eyes never left her face as he studied her closely. Her beautiful eyes were somehow red and misty, which showed that she had probably been crying a lot. He wondered what had made her cry, and his heart clenched with a mix of concern and anger. Who hurt her?

His mind raced, contemplating the possible reasons behind her dried tears. Was it an insensitive remark from a friend? A hurtful act by a stranger? Or perhaps someone had intentionally caused her distress? He was suddenly overwhelmed with a desire for revenge against the person who brought sorrow to her heart even though he didn't know her.

She was a stunner at first glance, a complete beauty with a hot body. But still, Sebastian was surprised at how transfixed he was. He had seen and met a lot of beautiful women in his lifetime, but none of them had been able to evoke what he was feeling now.

Finding this woman attractive was a baffling and rare occurrence given his usual aversion to such feelings. He hadn't felt such kind of attraction to anyone in a long time, not since the onset of his unusual allergy to the opposite sex. It had been seven long years since Sebastian had this condition, which baffled medical professionals and left him feeling isolated and frustrated.

Every encounter with women triggered severe allergic reactions, and he ended up in the ICU most of the time. Sometimes, he wouldn't even need to go near to feel it. Just a mere glance at them made him feel disgusted and sick to his stomach. He couldn't control it either.

That forced him to distance himself from any potential romantic relationships. Over time, he had learned to bury his longing for companionship and focus solely on growing his business empire. He had grown accustomed to a life of solitude and had made peace with it.

But now, standing before him was a woman who had captivated his senses from the second he spotted her, making him feel things he never thought he could feel again. He couldn't deny the strange effect she had on him, a stirring in his heart that challenged the boundaries set by his allergy. He didn't feel nauseous or repulsive standing before her. Instead, he wanted to go closer.

Sebastian then thought of something. There was only one way to be sure if she indeed did not have the allergic effect on him. He couldn't contain his curiosity and was willing to risk it, seemingly because his assistant and bodyguards were here in case anything went wrong.

He managed to put up a charming smile, hoping to mask the sudden surge of emotions within him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said calmly, extending his hand in greeting.

“Same here.”

She reciprocated with an innocent warm smile and a gentle handshake, sending a wave of anticipation through Sebastian's veins. As her soft and delicate hand touched him, a fleeting moment of fear and uncertainty passed through his mind. He braced himself, expecting the familiar signs of his allergic reaction to kick in—nausea, skin rashes, difficulty breathing, or worse.

The seconds passed like hours as they stood there, their hands intertwined. And to his astonishment, there was nothing odd. Not even a single symptom arose. His body remained calm and composed, unaffected by the sight and touch of this enchanting woman.

His assistant, driver, and bodyguards all exchanged puzzled glances. They were all well that he couldn't have skin contact with females or be too close. He could feel their bewildered eyes on him and the woman who, for some inexplicable reason, had not triggered his allergy.

Over the past few years, Sebastian underwent a series of tests, treatments, and consultations with the best and most renowned allergists and immunologists. They were fascinated and perplexed by his case, and non was able to cure him.

What left him more amazed was that he knew he certainly hadn't been cured. Just this afternoon, at a meeting, he felt the allergy building up when a female assistant of a board member approached to hand him some documents. He coldly asked her to back away and hand it over to one of his male assistants.

Could it be that this woman had some kind of immunity that shielded him from his allergy?

Sebastian couldn't believe what was happening. A glimmer of hope sparked within him, a flicker of possibility that he could have a normal life again. The thought was both exciting and terrifying to him.

He had spent years adapting to his condition, accepting his solitary life as the only option. The possibility of a connection with someone seemed like a distant dream, yet here it was, standing before him.

He had never been able to NOT be affected when in contact with a woman, except for one person. But the thought of that person only brought bitterness and resentment to Sebastian's mind. He didn't want to think about her right now. He only needed to focus on this woman in front of him.

As they released their handshake, Sebastian's gaze locked with hers. There was a glint of understanding in her eyes as if she also sensed the significance of the moment. He thought about how this might be the only chance he could get. An opportunity he couldn't afford to let slip away from his hands.

Sebastian excused himself and walked to his assistant Jamie who quickly handed him a notepad. He did a quick glance through various articles and profiles containing information about “Kourtney Allen.”

After confirming her identity as the eldest daughter of the respected and reputable Allen family, Sebastian was relieved. She had a solid background as well as a clean record, free of any scandalous activities that could potentially harm his reputation.

With the reassurance he needed, Sebastian turned around and made his way to her once again.

“So... Miss, you said the accident happened because you were distracted just now?” He asked the woman with a devilish glint in his eyes.

His face remained stern and expressionless despite what he was thinking. It had always been hard for anyone to guess what he was thinking. His scheming mind was coming up with a plan at the moment, while his firm mouth twisted with a cynical smile.

“Ah... Yes, sir, I had a lot on my mind. And I'm deeply sorry once again,” Kourtney replied, bowing slightly in remorse.

She almost lost her life and hurt other people as well. All because of those traitors, Brandon, and her pathetic excuse of a sister.

Sebastian’s voice was icy and cold as he replied. “Well... Your sorry won't bring back my brand-new 60 million dollar Rolls-Royce.”

“Ex...excuse me??”