7: Eli

Third-Person POV

Back at the hospital, Sebastian was seated in an armchair, his hand holding Ross’s while his worried eyes watched over her.

Ross, weakened from losing a lot of blood after slitting her wrists in a suicide attempt, was still lying in bed, looking at him sadly.

“Sebastian, aren’t you going after Fiona?” Ross asked. “I’m worried I made her angry.” That was what Sebastian loved about Ross, even though Fiona was her rival, Ross still cared about her feelings.

“She won’t stay mad,” Sebastian assured Ross, kissing the back of her hand and adjusting her heavy black hair. “Don’t think too much about it, darling. You need to focus on your recovery,” he said, caressing her face.

“But she seemed so hurt… I swear I didn’t mean to upset her,” Ross said, her large eyes filling with tears.

“Don’t worry about her. She’s just a woman who gets in the way,” Helen said arrogantly, defending Ross. “If you hadn’t gone for treatment for your depression three years ago, she wouldn’t have had the chance to marry Sebastian.”

That was true. Ross’s depression had plagued her for a long time, so at that critical moment, she had to leave Sebastian behind to seek treatment and escape the immense anguish tormenting her poor heart.

“Shut up, Helen. Fiona didn’t do anything wrong,” Sebastian ordered, so impatient with Helen that his voice came out harsh. He hated the way Helen talked about Fiona, as if Fiona were to blame for everything they were tangled up in.

Helen’s words caught in her throat; she could hardly believe Sebastian Blackwood had just reprimanded her, especially over that pathetic woman, Fiona Clarke.

“I’m sorry, Helen said that for my sake,” Ross sighed, always blaming herself.

Helen tossed her hair proudly, her gestures showing no remorse. She and Ross had always been best friends, and she’d never allow another woman to steal Ross’s man. “Ross is back now, Sebastian. You should stay with her and take care of her,” Helen emphasized.

“I’m married. Marriage isn’t a joke,” Sebastian stood up. “I’m leaving now.”

Helen grew irritated and wanted to argue, but Ross interrupted her. “Thank you for coming today. When you see Fiona, please apologize for my mistake.”

Sebastian nodded and left the room after planting a kiss on Ross’s forehead.

After leaving the hospital, he felt a bit anguished. To be honest, he didn’t know how to handle his relationship with Fiona. Ross’s return was unexpected, after wanting it for so long, he never thought he’d be so confused now.

At that moment, his friend Charles invited him for a drink at the bar.

After a glass of whiskey, Sebastian felt better.

“Are you really divorcing Fiona?” Charles asked. The bar’s atmosphere was perfect for relaxing and hanging out.

Charles thought Fiona was a good woman. Three years ago, his friend had been in despair, hitting rock bottom after going blind. Ross had abandoned him, but Fiona saved Sebastian.

Charles recognized that it was Fiona’s warm companionship that finally helped Sebastian recover. If Sebastian chose to end things with Fiona because Ross was back, he’d really want to punch him in the face to knock some sense into him.

But Sebastian looked downcast, hunched over his whiskey glass. “Fiona loves someone else. Marrying me will only delay her from finding her own happiness,” he said before taking another sip, suppressing the bitterness in his heart.

“What do you mean?” Charles’s mouth fell open in shock. He definitely hadn’t expected that.

To Charles, his friend’s words made no sense, because the way Fiona looked at Sebastian was full of love. A person’s eyes don’t lie, especially when you love someone.

“It’s true. Every night, when we’re lying in bed, I always hear her call someone’s name in her sleep,” Sebastian commented.

That’s why he didn’t dare hug Fiona. It was hard to hold someone who constantly thought of another, even dreaming about them while asleep. “This guy named Eli… She always murmurs his name.”

“Who’s Eli?” Charles repeated the name. “You’re willing to set Fiona free and let a man you only know by name have her? Who is this guy?”

“I don’t know. I just know the name is Eli,” Sebastian growled like a condemned man. “I’ve kept her tied down for three years, that’s enough.”

Charles gave Sebastian a comforting pat on the shoulder. “Cheer up, man. Let’s have some fun.”

They started drinking more and wandering around the bar.

“Is that Fiona?” Charles asked uncertainly, pointing in a direction. Maybe he was drunk and seeing things, otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?

“It’s her…” Sebastian confirmed.

He saw Fiona sitting happily with a man and a woman. She was laughing, and the bar lights shining on her face made her look extremely charming, unconsciously drawing attention from those around her.

If there wasn’t already a man with her, others might have approached.

“Who’s that man sitting so close to Fiona?” Sebastian thought, jealousy rising.

“Do you know the guy next to Fiona?” Sebastian asked Charles, who had a wide circle of friends.

“His name’s Elijah, and he’s a famous lawyer,” he paused. “My God, his name is Elijah.” Sebastian had just mentioned his wife liked someone named Eli.

Could the two names be related?

“Elijah…” Sebastian muttered, his face starting to heat up as he watched Fiona and that guy so close, chatting happily while drinking. The man’s hand was even resting on her chair, almost possessively hugging her, as if Fiona already belonged to him.

“Eli… Eli… I miss you,” Sebastian recalled the words his wife murmured in the middle of the night while asleep. So this was the Eli from her dreams? The person she loved most and missed so much?

How had Sebastian never realized all this time that he didn’t mean that much to Fiona? He’d been so wrong thinking she saw him as someone special, and now, with the divorce underway, Sebastian was sure Fiona would run into her Eli’s arms.

He suppressed the jealousy growing in his heart.

So this was Fiona’s true love?