Mag-log insebastian's POV "Who are you?" Her voice was hoarse from sleep. A beat later, panic flickered across her face. "Why am I here?" I stared at her. From the college to her home, she had slept as though she didn't have a single problem in the world. Peacefully. Comfortably. As if the man sitting beside her wasn't a complete stranger. And now, after nearly half an hour of uninterrupted sleep, she finally decided to ask who I was. I almost laughed. Almost. Instead, I raised one eyebrow. That was enough to make her stare at me. She blinked. Then suddenly... She smiled. I frowned. What the hell? "But you are very handsome." I said nothing. She continued looking at me with that sleepy, innocent expression. "Hello, handsome." Before I could react, her hand came up and touched my face. My entire body stiffened. What was she doing? I immediately caught her wrist and moved her hand away from my face. "Behave, little girl." She pouted. "But I was just complimenting yo
sebastian's POV Something inside me snapped. A surge of anger rushed through my veins so suddenly that my fingers tightened painfully around the steering wheel. For one reckless moment, I wanted to knock some sense into her. How could anyone be this careless? How could someone simply... fall asleep in a stranger's car? My jaw clenched. Every muscle in my body screamed at me to wake her up and lecture her until she understood just how dangerous the world truly was. But... I stopped myself. I took a slow breath. Then another. For the first time in a very long time, I swallowed my temper. The traffic light changed from red to green. The cars behind me began moving. I pressed the accelerator and drove forward. The silence inside the car returned. The rain had softened into a gentle drizzle, but droplets still raced across the windshield while the wipers moved in their steady rhythm. Swish... Swish... Swish... Beside me, she remained asleep. Comp
sebastian's POV The rain showed no intention of stopping. It lashed against the windshield in endless sheets, turning the world beyond the glass into a blur of shimmering lights and distorted shadows. Water rolled down the windows in restless streams while thunder rumbled somewhere far away, wrapping the city in a cold, restless silence. I rounded the front of the car, rain soaking the shoulders of my shirt before I slipped into the driver's seat and shut the door behind me. The loud patter of rain was instantly muffled. Only the rhythmic tapping on the roof remained. I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my damp hair before reaching for my seatbelt. That was when something caught my attention. My blazer sleeve. I frowned. I turned toward the passenger seat, expecting to find the blazer folded neatly beside her. Surely she had taken it off. It wasn't hers. It belonged to a complete stranger who had only met her an hour ago. If she had removed it careless
Sebastian's POV The phone rang. Once. Twice. Three times. My eyes remained fixed on the rain-soaked road ahead while my thumb tapped impatiently against the steering wheel. Come on... Pick up. The call continued ringing until it disconnected. I stared at the dashboard for a brief second before exhaling sharply. "Seriously?" I clenched my jaw. "Is this girl for real?" "Can't she answer a phone call?" The Bluetooth screen returned to her contact information. Petal Viotto. I had barely known her name for two minutes, and she was already testing my patience. Outside, rain lashed against the windshield with increasing force. Students hurried past beneath colorful umbrellas while cars formed long queues outside the college gates. I glanced toward the entrance. Nothing. No sign of her. Maybe she hadn't heard the phone. Or maybe... "She's one of those spoiled kids who ignores unknown numbers." The thought crossed my mind. After all, Penelope h
Sebastian's POV The rhythmic thud of rain against the windshield filled the silence inside my Rolls-Royce. Only a few minutes ago, the roads had been dry beneath a bright summer sky. Now, dark clouds swallowed the afternoon, and rain poured from the heavens as if it had been waiting for the perfect moment to descend upon New York. The windshield wipers swept back and forth in a steady rhythm. Swish... swish... swish... Traffic had slowed considerably. Headlights reflected off the rain-soaked asphalt, stretching into long golden streaks. Pedestrians hurried beneath umbrellas while others ran for shelter, laughing, complaining, or simply accepting defeat against the weather. I had never liked rain. Not because it was unpleasant. Because it disrupted everything. Schedules. Traffic. Plans. Today's plan included finally seeing Penelope after ten long years. A faint smile tugged at my lips. Ten years... How much could change in ten years? Apparently, everything. I reached f
Sebastian's POVAfter ten years...I was finally back in New York.The city hadn't changed as much as I expected.The towering skyline still pierced the clouds. The endless traffic still flowed through the streets like veins carrying life. The familiar noise of sirens, impatient horns, and hurried footsteps blended into a rhythm I hadn't realized I'd missed until now.Home.No matter how luxurious the places I had lived abroad were...Nothing compared to the feeling of returning to your hometown.Or sleeping in your own bed.The moment my head had touched the pillow in my penthouse two nights ago, every ounce of exhaustion from the long flight had caught up with me. Jet lag had been merciless, but somehow it felt worth it.I had spent the last two days doing exactly what I wanted.Nothing.No unnecessary meetings.No social gatherings.No celebrations.Just work.The company never stopped moving simply because its CEO changed countries.Reports continued arriving.Meetings continued o
author's povThe living room was filled with a heavy silence, the kind that settles when truth threatens comfort. The clock on the wall ticked steadily, an unwelcome reminder of the moments slipping away, each one more tense than the last.Max sat on the sofa beside Penelope, his posture upright bu
Author's POV“PETAL, DOWNSTAIRS NOW!”The words struck her like a jolt. Her breath caught in her throat. Her body remained frozen for a moment. But then, as though on autopilot, she stood up, her knees trembling beneath her weight. She slowly walked toward the door, each step heavier than the last.
author's pov“Did he threaten you? Is Sebastian blackmailing you to say all these?” Max’s voice sliced through the silence like a knife. His eyes were pinned on his daughter, Petal, searching for any flicker of fear, any hesitation, any sign that she wasn’t speaking her truth.Petal froze. The weig
author's povBefore she could stop herself, her lips moved."I don’t love you," she said flatly, almost as if she was speaking to herself. The words slipped out, raw and honest, slicing the tense air between them.For a brief moment, there was silence. Sebastian's dark eyes narrowed, not in rage, b







