Chapter 11 — The Man Beside HimEvelyn stared at the photograph on her phone. Sebastian was younger. Perhaps twenty-three or twenty-four. His face was still recognizably his, but there was something different about him. Less guarded. The man standing beside him was older, dressed in a Hawthorne Group suit. Evelyn didn’t recognize him. She turned the phone toward Sebastian.“Who is he?”Sebastian looked at the photograph. His expression changed. Barely. But she caught it.“You received this just now?”“Yes.”He took the phone from her. His thumb moved across the screen, enlarging the photograph.“Where did you get this?”“Unknown number.”Sebastian stared at the image.“Don’t respond.”“I wasn’t planning to.”“Good.”Evelyn crossed her arms.“Now tell me what happened that night.”His eyes lifted.“You don’t know what night they’re referring to.”“The message says I should ask you.”“Messages can lie.”“So can people.”His gaze held hers.“Exactly.”Evelyn waited. Sebastian returned t

Last Updated : 2026-09-12

Chapter 12 — The ConnectionThe note remained on the desk.Four days.Evelyn stared at it for several seconds before reaching for her phone.“Don’t touch anything else.”Sebastian looked at her.“You’re calling the police?”“No.”His brows drew together.“Why not?”“Because whoever came here didn’t steal anything.”She pointed toward the desk.“They left that.”Sebastian’s gaze followed her finger.“They wanted us to find it.”“Exactly.”Evelyn walked farther into the apartment, scanning the room. Her anger was beginning to replace the fear. Someone had entered her home. Not randomly. Not to rob her. To send a message. She pulled out her phone and opened the financial documents Amelia had sent earlier.“The three shell companies.”Sebastian watched her.“What about them?”“They started buying Sinclair shares months ago.”“Correct.”“Then Arthur submitted the twelve-percent acquisition proposal.”“Yes.”“And another buyer quietly accumulated eight percent.”Sebastian’s expression sharp

Last Updated : 2026-09-29

Chapter 13 — Eight Years AgoSebastian didn’t move. The name on the document remained between them.Adrian Vale.Daniel watched him carefully. Evelyn did too. She had seen Sebastian angry. She had seen him irritated, amused, confident, and calculating. This was different. His expression had gone completely still. Not controlled. Still.“Sebastian.”His eyes remained on the document.“Where is he?”Daniel hesitated.“We don’t know.”“Then find him.”“I’ve already started.”“How long?”“His last confirmed business activity was eighteen months ago.”Sebastian finally looked up.“Eighteen months?”Daniel nodded.“After that, his companies became dormant. No public appearances. No board memberships. No registered executive positions.”Evelyn folded her arms.“So he’s been invisible.”“Legally,” Daniel said. “Not financially.”Sebastian looked back at the document.“That’s what I thought.” Evelyn noticed the slight tension in his jaw. “You know what he’s capable of.”Sebastian’s gaze shifte

Last Updated : 2026-09-29

Chapter 14 — The Signature“Evelyn.”His voice pulled her from sleep. She opened her eyes slowly. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was. The conference room came back in pieces.The dim lights. The documents scattered across the table. The faint glow of the city beyond the windows. She had fallen asleep. Evelyn straightened in her chair and rubbed her eyes. Sebastian was still there.He hadn’t moved far from where she’d last seen him. His jacket was still on. His tie was slightly loosened. But he wasn’t working anymore. He was holding a document. And staring at it with an expression she couldn’t read. Evelyn’s sleepiness disappeared.“What happened?”Sebastian looked at her.“Look at this.”He placed the document on the table. Evelyn stood. She moved closer. Her eyes traveled across the page. The old Sinclair letterhead. The date. The acquisition authorization. Then the signature at the bottom. She stopped.Her breath caught. No. It couldn’t be. She leaned closer. She knew that

Last Updated : 2026-09-29

All Chapters of Marry Me Instead : Chapter 11 - Chapter 14

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