Chapter 34: The Audition

 

Back at the Sterling Estate, the chaotic energy of the rescue had settled into a quiet, efficient rhythm.

A private medical team had checked Harper’s parents. Apart from some bruises and shock, they were physically fine. They were now resting in one of the luxury guest suites, still dazed by the sheer size of the mansion.

In the master bedroom, the atmosphere was much more intimate.

Harper sat on the edge of the bed. Sebastian sat in his wheelchair facing her, a first-aid kit on his lap. He held a cotton swab soaked in antiseptic. His hand, usually steady enough to sign billion-dollar contracts, was trembling slightly.

"This might sting," he whispered, his eyes filled with pain as he looked at the cut on her lip.

"It's okay," Harper smiled, though it came out as a wince. "I'm tough."

Sebastian gently dabbed the wound. He applied a cooling ointment to her swollen cheek. Every mark on her face felt like a whip lash on his heart.

"I should have protected you better," Sebastian said, his voice low. "I promised you were safe, and then..."

"Hey," Harper caught his hand. She pressed her palm against his cheek. "You found me. You saved us. You didn't break your promise."

She leaned in and kissed his forehead. "Besides, scars make me look cool. Like a warrior princess."

Sebastian chuckled weakly. He turned his face to kiss her palm. "You are a warrior. My warrior."

Just then, a knock on the door interrupted them. "Sir," Liam’s voice came through. "Mr. and Mrs. Evans are asking for Harper. And... they want to know who the 'Triad Boss' is."

Sebastian froze. "Triad Boss?"

"They mean you," Liam suppressed a laugh. "You know, the black cars, the baton, the breaking of bones... They think you're a gangster."

Sebastian’s face went pale. He looked at Harper. "Your parents think I'm a criminal."

Harper burst out laughing. "Well, you were pretty scary back there."

Sebastian straightened his tie nervously. He checked his reflection in the mirror. He smoothed his hair. "I need to explain. I need to... make a good impression."

For the first time ever, Harper saw the great Sebastian Sterling panic.

---

[The Interrogation]

The living room was silent. Mr. and Mrs. Evans sat on the Italian leather sofa, looking like they were afraid to wrinkle it. They stared at the crystal chandelier, the marble statues, and the army of maids serving tea.

"Harper's dad," Mrs. Evans whispered. "Do you think Harper joined a cult? Or maybe the mafia?"

"I don't know," Mr. Evans gripped his teacup. "But that young man in the wheelchair... he looked fierce. He hit that bad guy so hard."

The double doors opened. Harper walked in, holding Sebastian’s hand as he rolled beside her.

"Mom, Dad!" Harper ran over and hugged them.

"Oh, my baby!" Mrs. Evans cried, touching Harper’s bandaged face. "Does it hurt?"

"I'm fine, Mom." Harper pulled back, smiling brightly. "I want to introduce you to someone."

She gestured to Sebastian. Sebastian took a deep breath. He rolled forward, stopping at a respectful distance. He bowed his head slightly—a gesture of humility he rarely showed to anyone.

"Mr. Evans. Mrs. Evans," Sebastian’s voice was polite and steady. "I am Sebastian Sterling. I am Harper's employer. And..." He looked at Harper, then back at them. "And her boyfriend."

Mr. Evans’s jaw dropped. "Boyfriend?"

"Employer?" Mrs. Evans blinked. "Wait, you are the boss of Sterling Corp? The one Harper takes care of?"

"Yes," Sebastian nodded. "I apologize for the danger I brought to your family today. It was my enemies who targeted you. I take full responsibility."

Mr. Evans looked at Sebastian’s legs, then at his expensive suit, then at his face. He stood up. He was a simple noodle shop owner, but he was a father first.

"Mr. Sterling," Mr. Evans said seriously. "I don't care about your money. I don't care about your company. Today, those men... they had gasoline. If you hadn't come..."

Mr. Evans’s voice cracked. He suddenly bowed deeply to Sebastian. "Thank you. You saved our lives."

Sebastian was stunned. He quickly waved his hand. "No, please, Mr. Evans. Do not bow. I am the one who should apologize."

Mrs. Evans stood up too. She looked at Sebastian with a mother’s scrutiny. "Mr. Sterling, you are... disabled?"

"Mom!" Harper hissed. "That's rude!"

"It's okay," Sebastian said calmly. He looked Mrs. Evans in the eye. "Yes, ma'am. I was in a car accident three years ago. I cannot walk... yet."

He reached out and took Harper’s hand, interlacing their fingers in front of her parents.

"I know I am not the perfect man for your daughter. I cannot run with her. I cannot dance with her properly. I have many enemies."

Sebastian’s grip tightened. "But I swear to you... as long as I live, she will never go hungry. She will never be bullied. And I will spend every day of my life trying to be worthy of her."

The room went quiet. Harper’s eyes were wet.

Mrs. Evans looked at their joined hands. She saw the way Harper looked at him—with total adoration. And she saw the way he looked at Harper—like she was the only star in his sky.

Mrs. Evans sighed, a smile breaking through her worry. "Well," she wiped a tear. "You are handsome enough. And you certainly know how to fight bad guys."

"And," Mr. Evans added, patting his stomach. "Harper says the food here is good. If you treat her well, I have no objections."

Sebastian let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He smiled—a genuine, boyish smile that lit up his face.

"Thank you," he said. "Please, stay for dinner. Our chef makes excellent noodles, but I hear yours are better. Maybe you can give him some tips."

Mr. Evans beamed. "Hah! Of course! Let me tell you about my secret broth recipe..."

---

[The Night]

That night, after her parents were asleep in the guest wing, Harper returned to the master bedroom. Sebastian was waiting for her, sitting by the window, looking at the moon.

"You passed the audition," Harper hugged him from behind, resting her cheek on his shoulder.

"That was more terrifying than the board meeting," Sebastian admitted, covering her hands with his. "I was afraid they would take you away."

"They like you," Harper kissed his ear. "Especially after you complimented Dad's noodles."

Sebastian turned his wheelchair around. He pulled her onto his lap. The moonlight bathed them in silver.

"Harper," he whispered, his forehead resting against hers. "Today, I realized something."

"What?"

"I have the company back. I put my uncle in jail. I have money, power, everything I lost." He looked into her eyes. "But none of it matters if you aren't here."

He reached into his pocket. Harper’s breath hitched. Was he...

He pulled out a small, velvet box. But it wasn't a ring. It was a key.

It was an old-fashioned, iron key.

"This is the key to my private vault," Sebastian said softly. "Inside are my mother's jewelry, my personal will, and the deeds to my properties." "I'm not proposing yet," he smirked, seeing her panicked expression. "I want to do that standing up."

He placed the key in her palm and closed her fingers over it. "But this is my promise. Everything I have is yours. My life. My secrets. My future."

"Keep it safe for me, Happy Puppy."

Harper looked at the key, then at him. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. It wasn't a desperate kiss like in the rescue. It was slow, deep, and full of promise.

"I will," she whispered against his lips. "I'll keep it safe. And I'll wait for you to stand up."