Chapter 6. If I Lie, I’ll Take You

The door swung open again. Evelyn was standing by her desk when Sebastian Reed walked in, his steps calm but carrying an air of authority. Two bodyguards trailed behind him, followed by two assistants carrying stacks of documents.

The moment Sebastian entered, the room seemed to drop several degrees. His presence filled the air with a cold, unyielding pressure.

“You didn’t tell him about the divorce?” His voice was deep, laced with disapproval.

Evelyn’s shoulders sagged. “I’m sorry. I have my own plan.”

“Mrs. Sinclair, I’m not a patient man. Or… do you want me to be the one to tell him?”

Her mind spun in chaos. Even just sitting casually on the sofa, Sebastian’s aggressive presence weighed on her. For a second, she actually considered running.

“I… I was going to..”

Before she could finish, his large hand wrapped around her wrist. The heat of his palm burned against her skin. When she looked up, his striking face was dangerously close. Somehow, he’d moved in while she was distracted, one hand gripping her wrist, the other braced on the back of the sofa, effectively caging her in.

The air between them was filled with the clean, fresh scent that was distinctly Sebastian.

“Was I not enough for you that night?” His tone was flat, his brows lifting slightly.

Panic flickered in her chest. Evelyn’s eyes darted toward the closed office door.

“What’s wrong? Afraid he’ll find out? Or do you think I’m not good enough for you?”

He let go of her wrist only to catch her chin in his fingers, forcing her gaze up to his. “I expect a satisfying answer.”

“Of course you were enough,” she blurted, before she could stop herself, words that betrayed her thoughts. That night had left her drained, breathless, and eventually unconscious from the sheer force of him. She’d never known a man could have that kind of stamina.

The memory alone made her cheeks burn. She shot to her feet. “My personal life is mine to handle. As for business between us, that should be separate.”

Sebastian might be everything a woman could want, but Lucas had already shattered her heart. Trusting another man? Impossible.

“Oh? And how exactly do you plan to handle it, Mrs. Sinclair?” He rose to his full height, sliding both hands into his pockets with casual confidence.

She rubbed her temples, worn down by the endless drama. She never imagined a man like him could be so… traditional.

“Or are you just stalling so you can run from me?” His voice dropped cold, his narrowed eyes barely containing anger.

Evelyn pressed her lips together, unable to give a straight answer. Even without factoring in the Reed project, Sebastian’s influence alone was enough to make her think twice before crossing him. God, she’d walked right into a storm.

“Mrs. Sinclair?”

Lost in thought, she startled when his hands landed firmly on her shoulders, pulling her forward to face him. He leaned down, his lips near her ear, his low, deep voice vibrating like a cello string. “If you ever lie to me, I’ll take you right here, right now.”

“That’s impossible!”

“Evelyn!”

She barely had time to push him away before Chloe burst through the door.

Lucas, who had been waiting outside, had already caught a glimpse of her and Sebastian through the slightly open door, close enough to look intimate.

“Reed… Mr. Reed?!” His voice carried the sting of betrayal. He strode in, his expression like ice.

“You’ve got it wrong,” Evelyn said, shooting Chloe a sharp look. She stepped back two paces, putting space between herself and Sebastian. She didn’t have solid proof of Lucas and Chloe’s affair, so she couldn’t let them twist this against her.

“Wrong?” Chloe’s gaze swept over Sebastian’s sharp, handsome features, jealousy flickering in her eyes. She glanced at Lucas, lips curving into a faint smile. “Maybe Evelyn had some important business with Mr. Reed… even if it was just the two of them in here.”

Evelyn’s expression hardened. Chloe’s words boxed her in, alone with another man, looking far too comfortable. And with Sebastian’s status, no one in the office would dare question him. That left all suspicion falling squarely on her.

Lucas’s stare grew heavier, but before she could speak, Sebastian straightened to his full height. He looked over the room with an unreadable expression. “Seems I shouldn’t be in the middle of your personal issues.”

Without waiting for a reply, he picked up a file from Evelyn’s desk, slipped it into his briefcase, and walked past Chloe and Lucas as if they were nothing more than shadows on the wall. The faint trace of his cologne lingered in the air long after the door shut behind him.

“Evelyn!” Lucas closed the distance in a few long strides, dragging her into the corner of the room. “Do you even think before you act?”

His voice was loud enough for people outside to hear, almost as if he wanted everyone to know Evelyn Sinclair had been the one to cheat first.

“Accusing me without proof?” she shot back, brushing off his hand. “And you really think I’d do something like that with someone like Mr. Reed?”

His jaw tightened, eyes blazing. “Then explain it.”

“You’re the one in the wrong here, Lucas,” Evelyn said, mimicking Chloe’s coy tone. She stepped closer, her hand curling around his arm. “If you hadn’t been ignoring me lately, I wouldn’t have done something like this just to get under your skin.”

Lucas froze. “You did this just to make me jealous?”

She gave him a slow, deliberate blink. “Sure. Just a little… husband-and-wife game, right?”

Lucas’s doubt was starting to show, but Chloe, masking the chill in her eyes, forced a smile. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if I hadn’t walked in, but if this was just a misunderstanding, don’t be mad at Evelyn anymore, Lucas.”

Her attempt to smooth things over only made Lucas bristle again. But Evelyn cut in first, her tone cool. “This is my office, and I don’t recall asking you to come in. So why exactly are you here?”

Chloe blinked at the sudden shift in her tone. She’d come here to catch Mr. Reed’s attention, but Evelyn was unexpectedly sharp with her.

“I didn’t mean to..”

“Mr. Reed just promised to give us a new project,” Evelyn said casually, dropping the statement like a grenade in the room.

Lucas froze. If the Reed family really did hand them another project, the Callahan fortune would climb dramatically. But now, that deal was hanging by a thread, thanks to Chloe.

“It’s my fault,” Chloe said quickly. “I overheard the finance team saying these documents were urgent and had to be reviewed by Evelyn, so I thought I’d…” Her voice broke as tears pooled in her eyes.

Evelyn studied her for a long moment. Officially, Chloe wasn’t even her secretary anymore. If she wanted, she could have her charged for barging in like this. But Evelyn had other plans. Revenge wasn’t something she intended to rush.

“I’m sorry I was harsh,” Evelyn said finally, giving Chloe’s shoulder a light pat. “Just… be more careful next time. Mr. Reed isn’t someone you can afford to offend.”

“I understand,” Chloe replied quickly.

The touch was light, but it was enough to make Chloe’s pulse quicken, whether from surprise, or something she couldn’t quite name.