Chapter 40
CHAPTER FORTY
Seb
My mind is a mess and my chest is tight, as I walk without direction, just needing to get away from the house.
From everything.
I’m not ready to face her, not after everything that happened tonight. Not after seeing the way she looked at me, the walls going up the second my father had started his little game.
It’s more than that – something deeper, something darker, gnawing at me.
I need to figure this out, but I can’t do it right now. I can’t think with her eyes on me, watching me like she’s expecting something.
So, I walk. Until eventually, I’m stepping into a familiar car-park, the neon sign of For Me glowing in the distance. The club’s always been my refuge, a place to think, to escape, even if only for a few hours. I know I’m not going to find answers here, but maybe the noise, the energy, the anonymity of it all will give me some space to breathe. I can’t risk being seen anywhere else, tonight of all nights, especially.
Inside, the music is sultry and the atmosphere thick with anticipation. It’s a sharp contrast to the tension back home, and I can almost taste the difference. My shoulders loosen as I walk up to the bar, the polished wood gleaming under the low lighting.
“Whiskey, please,” I mutter to the bartender, not bothering to look up, not bothering to ask for anything fancy. I don’t need frills right now. I need something that burns, something that’ll take the edge off, even if only for a little while.
The bartender turns to pour my drink and I sip it as soon as it’s in front of me, the burn slipping down my throat. It doesn’t help. Nothing helps.
“You look like you’re trying to drink away your problems,” a familiar voice says.
I glance up to find Faith0 staring at me. Her dark hair is pulled back into a messy bun, her apron tied loosely around her waist. She gives me a small, tentative smile, but there’s no real warmth behind it – just professionalism.
“Don’t think that’s gonna work,” she adds, her voice quiet but cutting through the noise of the club as she nods at my almost empty glass.
I give a half-shrug, trying to keep the scowl off my face. “Doesn't have to work. Just needs to take the edge off. The two drink limit here isn’t going to help with what I need to forget.”
She raises an eyebrow, but doesn't argue, turning back to serve another customer. I finish my drink in one more gulp and order another when she’s free.
The burn still doesn't help. It doesn’t numb anything.
I pull out my phone and send a quick text to Asher: Club. Now.
I don’t have to wait long. A few minutes later, Asher slides onto the barstool next to me, a devil-may-care grin spreading across his face. Was he already here? It wouldn’t surprise me. I know he left the reception before we did, and he comes here pretty regularly.
His eyes are sharp, always searching, always on the lookout for something – or someone – new to entertain him.
“What’s going on, man?” Asher asks, throwing his arm across the back of the barstool as he eyes Faith, who’s moving to the other end of the bar. “Couldn’t handle your beautiful wife?”
I can’t help the growl that rises in my throat. It’s not aimed at him, but at the way his words twist everything. I don’t even know why I texted him. Maybe because it’s easier to be around someone who doesn’t ask questions, someone who’s more interested in the distraction than the truth.
“Not in the mood,” I reply, taking another sip of my whiskey.
Asher raises an eyebrow. “Not in the mood for what? She’s beautiful, man. Stunning. I thought you’d be more than happy to head back to that big, fancy house with her. Finally make good on that contract of yours.”
There’s an edge to his voice, something teasing but with a bite to it. It’s not lost on me, but I don’t react. Instead, I just stare into my glass, the remnants of the amber liquid swirling as I turn it in my hand.
“You should have stayed there. That’s what you should’ve done,” Asher presses, his voice lowering as he watches Faith.
She’s busy with another customer now, a little too distracted to notice. But I can see how she’s avoiding his gaze, how her shy glances dart away whenever he catches her eye.
What is going on between them? It’s so obvious they’re interested in one another, but for once, Asher is taking it slow. Excruciatingly slow. And if he keeps giving me shit about abandoning my wife, I’ll drop him in it with Faith.
“What do you need, mate?” He eventually asks, sighing.
“More whiskey?” I suggest, hopefully. He snorts and orders two whiskies when he manages to catch Faith’s eye. She silently serves him and he thanks her, but as she goes to leave, he reaches out and gently grasps her wrist. She freezes.
“So, Faith,” he says, voice smooth, almost teasing, “you ever get bored of serving drinks all night? Or do you like the idea of having some company for a change?”
Her cheeks flush a shade of pink, and she shifts uncomfortably, her hands moving behind the bar to clean a glass. She doesn’t look at him, doesn’t respond.
Asher shrugs, unfazed by her lack of interest, and turns back to me. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get some action. You?”
I look at my now-empty glass, the words lingering in my mind. But I don’t answer. Because the problem isn’t my new wife I’ve left at home, or even my father. It’s me.
I exhale my frustration with myself. I’m not here for action. I’m here for anonymity. Here because I have nowhere else to go.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” a familiar voice shrieks.
Asher chuckles and slides both whiskies over to me, nabbing my empty glass quickly to pass it off as his own.
I wince as Candy approaches, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. The anger radiating off her is palpable, and I can practically feel it crackling in the air between us.
She stops in front of me, arms crossed, glaring at me like I’ve just committed some unforgivable crime. Her eyes, usually so controlled, are blazing.
“You have a fucking nerve showing your face here, tonight of all nights, Sebastian!” she hisses, the venom in her words causing a small crowd to glance our way.
She’s right, of course. I should’ve stayed home, tried to sort things out with Elle, but the weight of the night was too much. I needed to breathe, to escape the suffocating tension.
I open my mouth to respond, but she doesn’t give me the chance.
“No, don’t say a word,” she snaps, cutting me off before I can offer an excuse. “I should’ve known. The second you left the reception with that look on your face, I should’ve fucking known where you’d end up. Here, of all places. Hiding away from your new wife, from everything you’re supposed to be responsible for. I should’ve expected it, but damn it, I didn’t. I thought you’d changed. I told Elle to trust you. I’m as fucking stupid as you are!”
I open my mouth again, but this time, the words get caught in my throat. I’m ashamed, no doubt, but more than that, I’m exhausted. So fucking tired of all the lies, the games, and the miscommunication. I can’t even make sense of what’s happening between Elle and me, and here I am, sitting in the club like it’s some kind of refuge.
Candy doesn’t wait for me to speak. She gestures to the full glasses in front of me and ‘Asher’s’ empties. “Four whiskies, Sebastian? Really? You’re gonna drink yourself into oblivion while your wife’s at home thinking you’ve abandoned her? You can’t keep running away every time things get hard.”
I stand up, running a hand through my hair. “I didn’t abandon her. I just...I don’t know how to fix this. I don’t know where to start.”
“You’re here, not there. You’re avoiding her, and you think that’ll fix everything?” She shakes her head in disbelief. “You’re barred from this club, Sebastian. Get out. Now.”
I stare at her for a moment, stunned. Barred? Candy’s serious, her eyes hard as stone. She won’t back down, and part of me knows I deserve this. I’m not here for a night of indulgence. I’m here to hide from the consequences of my own mess.
“Candy—” I begin, but she holds up a hand.
“No, we’re done here.” She grabs my arm, surprisingly strong for her small frame, and pulls me toward the office without hesitation. Her grip is firm, angry. I let her drag me along, not protesting, not caring enough to stop her. She’s right, after all. I don’t belong here.
When we step into the office, she lets go of me, pacing for a moment before she stops, crossing her arms over her chest, and giving me a pointed look.
“Elle called me tonight,” she says, voice low but steady. “She told me everything.”
I freeze. Every muscle in my body locks up. She told Candy what? What did she say?
“She’s confused, Sebastian. She’s hurting. And you—” she lets out a bitter laugh, shaking her head, “—you’re playing right into your father’s hand. Your old man’s been twisting this whole thing, and you’re letting him. It’s sickening.”
I can feel the heat in my chest rise, my anger bubbling over at the mention of my father. “What the hell does he have to do with this?” I mutter, trying to keep my voice steady, but I can feel the edge creeping in. The doubt.
Candy’s eyes flash, and she steps closer, poking me hard in the chest.
“You want to know what she said? You want to know how fucking hurt she is?” Her voice cracks with emotion as she continues, “She told me that your father threatened her. He found your contract with her and forced her to sign a new prenup. I don’t know what he told you, but she’s been making herself sick over it all day, trying to protect everyone she cares about. Elle’s devastated, Sebastian. And you – your behaviour has just let her think you were in on it. That you were working with him to manipulate her into some game. You’ve let her believe you were complicit, however inadvertently. That’s why she was so shaken at the ceremony, then so distant at the reception when she saw you talking to him. That’s why she looked at you the way she did.”
I’m reeling, my thoughts racing, but I can’t make sense of them. This is all a fucking mess. He threatened her?
“She didn’t tell me,” I whisper, but the guilt hits me like a physical blow. I didn’t even stop to ask her what happened, what was really said.
Candy crosses her arms and leans back, her eyes narrowing as she watches me struggle with the weight of this.
“God, you’re really this oblivious, aren’t you? She’s been trying to shield you from the truth, trying to protect you from the fallout of your father’s manipulations. And what have you done, Sebastian? Nothing. You’ve let him twist everything between you. You’ve let him play this game and drag her into it. Now Elle’s thinking you’re part of it. Thinking you don’t care. You can’t hide from this anymore.”
I’m sick. Sick from the gut-wrenching realisation that I was too fucking blind to see what my father had done. I can feel the rage building in me, hot and suffocating.
My father.
I’ve always known he was ruthless, but this? This is something else. Threatening Elle. Using her to try and control me? Our future?
My hands curl into fists at my sides as the anger surges like a tidal wave, flooding me with heat.
“That bastard,” I growl, through clenched teeth. “He fucking threatened her?” My voice rises, shaking with fury. “I should’ve known he was behind this. I should’ve seen it. I—” I cut myself off with a frustrated snarl. “How the hell could I not see it? All the signs were there, but I was too goddamn wrapped up in my own shit to notice.”
Candy steps back, watching me carefully, her expression more guarded now, but she doesn’t interrupt. The anger in my chest is all-consuming, and I can’t hold it in any longer.
“I’m going to fucking kill him,” I mutter under my breath, but the words feel hollow. I’m not even sure if I mean them. The rage feels like it’s tearing me apart from the inside.
Candy shakes her head, her expression softening a little, but her voice is still firm. “You can’t do that, Sebastian. You can’t keep letting your father run your life. He’s been manipulating both of you, twisting everything to fit his narrative. You’ve got to take control. You’ve got to be the one to fix this.”
I take a shaky breath, trying to calm the fire in my chest. But it’s hard. It’s so hard when all I can think about is Elle, alone and devastated, thinking I’ve been a part of this. My mind is spiraling – my father’s game, Elle’s pain, the guilt, the betrayal.
I swipe a hand through my hair, frustrated with myself, with everything. “I should’ve been there for her. I should’ve been listening, not pretending everything was fine. Why the hell didn’t I see this?”
“Because your father’s a master manipulator. And you’ve been too focused on trying to please him, trying to fit into his mold, to see the truth. It’s time to wake up, Sebastian.”
The anger bubbles in my throat again, this time mixed with something darker. Disgust for my father. Guilt for not protecting Elle. And an overwhelming sense of shame for how far I’ve let myself fall into his grip.
Candy’s face softens, just a little, but her tone is still sharp. “You fucked up, Sebastian. If you don’t fix this, if you don’t clear the air with her, I don’t know if she’ll ever trust you again.”
“I’m going to fix this,” I say through clenched teeth. It’s not a promise, but it’s the only thing I can say right now. “I have to.”
“Then go fix it. Now. Start by telling her the truth,” Candy says, voice steady now, but still filled with a kind of fierce compassion. “Tell her you know it wasn’t her. It was your father. Tell her that. Because right now? She thinks you’ve been playing her the whole time, that you’ve been a part of this sick game. You’ve got to prove that you’re not.”
I nod slowly, the weight of her words hitting harder than any punch. “I will,” I say finally. “I’ll fix it. I have to fix it.”
For the first time tonight, she gives me a small, understanding nod. “Good. And next time, Sebastian? Don’t come here to drown in whiskey. Go home. Talk to her. You owe her that much.”
I don’t argue. What else can I say? Candy’s right. I don’t belong here anymore, not with this mess hanging over me. I need to fix things with Elle. I need to start by telling her the truth and listening to everything she has to say. There’s no more running. There’s no more hiding behind whiskey or distractions. I have to go to Elle. I have to make it right.
And if my father stands in my way again, I’ll burn that bridge down with him.