Chapter 19 Restless
Sebastian led her into the living room and gently eased her onto the couch. When she settled, he sat down beside her, draping one arm along the back of the sofa so it hovered protectively behind her shoulders. His other hand slid into her lap and closed around hers.
He leaned over her, his expression softening. “You always make me worry. Ever since I got you, I’m constantly afraid you’ll disappear into thin air.”
Emily’s lips curved into a gentle smile as she studied his tense face. “Where could I possibly go?” she whispered softly. “You’ve saved me so many times, pulled me out of so much trouble… I feel like I owe you more than I could ever repay.”
Sebastian brushed his thumb gently across her lips, silencing her. “Don’t say that. You don’t owe me a thing. If anything… I owe you my life, baby.”
“What?” Her brows drew together. “What are you talking about?”
He lifted his hand, showing her the small ring he wore on his pinky. “Do you not remember this ring?”
Emily stared at it for a long moment, a slow recognition creeping across her face. “I—” she murmured. “It feels familiar, but I can’t place where I’ve seen it.”
Sebastian drew her closer by her hands, his voice dropping to a whisper. “That boy you gave it to when you were a kid, the one whose face you couldn’t remember? That was me.”
Emily went still.
Sebastian continued in a gentle voice, “When I was a child, someone kidnapped me to blackmail my parents for money. They planned to kill me, but I somehow escaped. I ran into you on the streets while running away and trying to find my own home or a police station, and you gave me this ring. You told me I’d be safe.
” He swallowed; the memory cut him. “I left, thinking I’d find you again when I returned to my parents.
I met Adam—and through him, I finally saw you again.
I can’t explain the relief I felt when I recognized you, even though you didn’t remember me. ”
“You… recognized me at first glance?” she whispered.
Sebastian nodded. “And I fell in love with you at first sight.”
Her fingers tightened around him, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. She lifted her hand to his face, tracing the sharp line of his jaw with trembling softness. He went on, voice breaking with regret.
“I wanted to propose to you after you graduated, but by then I found out you’d already accepted Lucas.
I regret waiting so long. If I had asked you earlier, maybe it would’ve been me instead of him.
When you fell into my arms and told me you weren’t with Lucas anymore, I had decided I’d never let you go again. ”
Emily could barely process his words. She had never realized that he had carried this love for her all along. Her pulse raced, each beat throbbing painfully inside her chest.
Sebastian bent down, capturing her lips in a deep, lingering kiss that left her breathless. His voice trembled against her mouth as he whispered,
“I’m grateful every second that I finally have you. You are everything to me. There’s nothing in this world that could ever make you indebted to me. I owe you my life—and every bit of love that exists in this world.”
Emily stared at him, her heart beating hard in her chest. Her hand reached up to his face, tracing his cheek before sliding down to his neck and across his chest, sliding his shirt aside. Her eyes flickered to the wound there. “This wound… is from back then?” she asked.
Sebastian nodded. “They tried to kill me.”
Her fingers slid back up, tracing his face again, lingering with tender care.
Sebastian’s hand left hers, sliding around her waist to pull her closer. His head lowered, hovering just above hers, dark eyes smoldering.
“You have to reward me every night for waiting patiently all these years,” he whispered.
Emily’s brows knitted in confusion. “Reward?” she asked, tilting her head.
A sly, wicked smile curved his lips. He grabbed her arm, while his other hand slid beneath her knees, lifting her effortlessly into his lap. He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers.
“All these years…” he murmured, his voice low and husky, “every night I had to stay away from you… now you’ll make up for those nights. Every night, you’ll be in my arms, letting me sleep with me inside you. Only this way can you ever repay me for making me wait so long for you.”
Emily froze, doing the math in her head. They had met when she was very young—maybe eight or nine. If he meant every night since… was he talking about more than ten years? She recoiled, eyes wide, and slapped his arm. “All you think about is sex!”
He smirked, that dark, confident grin stretching across his face. “No,” he corrected, voice teasing and low. “All I think about is sex with you .”
The very next moment, his strong hands scooped her up and threw her onto the couch. He followed immediately, straddling her, pinning her gently yet possessively as their eyes locked in a heated stare.
***
Lucas stood in his home, eyes fixed on a beautiful white gown hanging elegantly on a stand. A slow, almost dreamy smile spread across his face as he traced the delicate fabric with his gaze. The lace shimmered under the soft light, each fold and ruffle reminding him of the woman he loved.
Dillon stepped quietly into the room, approaching him.
Lucas glanced at him casually, though his eyes sparkled with excitement. “What do you think of this dress?” he asked, his voice soft but excited. “Didn’t Emily always say she wanted a wedding dress just like this? Do you think she’ll like it?”
Dillon hesitated, his face tight with unease. He barely looked at the gown and answered, “Mr. Cantrell, I’m sure Miss Crawford will love it very much.”
Lucas turned back to the dress, eyes bright, as if imagining Emily walking toward him in it. “I want a street lined with flowers, every single step leading to the entrance. Emily loves flowers. I don’t care about the cost.”
Dillon swallowed, clearly uneasy. “Mr. Cantrell… are you going to propose to Miss Crawford?”
Lucas lifted a hand to his mouth, a contemplative smile playing on his lips. Then he nodded. “Yes.”
Just then, Taylor strode into the house, entering the living room. His eyes fell on Lucas—and then the dress. He froze, taking a step closer, confusion and concern flashing in his eyes. “Why do you have a wedding dress?”
Lucas slid a hand into his pocket, a calm confidence in his smile. “Come here, look at this dress. Do you think Emily will like it? I had it made exactly like she always dreamed about.”
Taylor’s face tightened, disbelief written across every line. “Lucas… you want to propose to Emily?”
Lucas waved his hand dismissively. “Yes. She’ll get a divorce. Then we’ll get married.”
Taylor shook his head, frustrated. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to see if she even agrees first?”
Lucas lifted his chin, determined. “She’s just angry with me. She’ll come around. I’ll pacify her.”
Taylor’s expression shifted as he pulled his phone from his pocket. “Look at this,” he said, handing it to Lucas. “This is Mrs. Graves—Sebastian’s mother. Look at this photo: Sebastian, his mother, and Emily together. Does it look like they don’t accept her?”
Lucas snatched the phone, his eyes narrowing at the image. Heat flared in his chest, spreading into a white-hot fury that made his hands tremble.
He slammed the phone onto the counter, the screen cracking slightly under the force. “She’s not going to marry anyone else,” he hissed through gritted teeth. His jaw clenched so tight it ached, and his fists curled at his sides. “She’s lying… just to make me jealous. I told you—I’ll pacify her!”
He paced back and forth, each step sharp and heavy. His mind raced, a storm of jealousy and rage blinding him. His gaze darted to the door, and without another thought, he stormed forward and flung it open.
He directly strode toward his car standing outside. His movements were quick, impulsive, each one fueled by raw emotion. He yanked open the door, sliding into the driver’s seat, hands shaking slightly as he gripped the wheel.
Dillon and Taylor watched, worried, as Lucas stormed out of the house. Dillon’s heart sank. “Mr. Cantrell is going to do something bad,” he muttered.
Taylor’s jaw clenched, tension and anger flashing in his eyes. By the time they rushed outside, Lucas’s sleek black car had already peeled off, tires screeching against the pavement.
“Damn it!” Taylor barked, slamming his fist against the wall.
Dillon’s eyes tracked Lucas’s car down the street. “We can use that car!” he shouted.
Without wasting a second, Taylor and Dillon sprinted down the street on foot. They reached the car, yanked the doors open, and dove inside, slamming them shut. Engines roared to life, tires screeching, as they sped off in hot pursuit.
Just as Lucas reached the grand entrance of Sebastian’s mansion, he slammed on the brakes, the car screeching to a halt. He yanked the door open and stormed toward the gates. Dillon and Taylor skidded to a stop just behind him, leaping out of their car.
They rushed toward him, urgency in every step. Just before Lucas could slam his fist on the gates of the mansion for the guards to open them, Taylor grabbed him by the shoulder, halting his steps.
“Let go of me!” Lucas fought against Taylor’s hold, his voice wild. “Let go!”
Taylor yanked him back, shoving him to the side. “What are you doing? Are you out of your mind? She’s already married! What the hell are you thinking, storming into their house like this?!”
Lucas’s eyes burned red with fury, his voice low and ragged as he sneered, “She slept in my bed for five years! She couldn’t even sleep unless I was with her.
She was scared of thunderstorms when it rained, scared of upsetting me even the slightest!
How can she just give up on everything she had with me and live with some other man? !”
“Enough, Lucas!” Taylor snapped, frustration flashing in his eyes. “I am your best friend, but even I know that when she was with you, you weren’t good to Emily. In fact, you were so emotionless that everyone around you believed you hated her!”
He grabbed Lucas by the shoulder, slapping his hand against his chest. “Think about it—over five years, did Emily ever give up on you?”
Lucas’s jaw tightened.
“She did everything you wanted. Five years of relationship, and what did you give her in return? You didn’t marry her. You didn’t make her your fiancée. You refused to even give her a label in front of the world!” Taylor’s voice cracked with anger. “What were you even doing with her?”
Taylor’s eyes burned as he continued.
“Before you both got together, you were begging for her love. You worried about her, tried to get her in any way possible. You were madly in love with her. But as soon as you both got together, you started ignoring her. You didn’t pay any attention to her and ridiculed her at every given chance.
Even your little two-million-dollar deal was more important to you than her. ”
Taylor’s jaw tightened as his voice grew sharper.
“You told her once not to visit her parents’ house so often.
I remember that she stopped going at once, just because you said it.
And still, you didn’t change. Did you really think no matter what you do, Emily is always going to stay by your side?
Never leave you? Do you even deserve her? ”
Lucas breathed heavily, his eyes stinging as his chest filled with pain. He pressed a hand against it, struggling to breathe, his fingers tightening into a fist.
Taylor took a step back and said, his voice lower but still cutting, “Can you stop bothering her now? You knew what you were doing to her this whole time. I know you’re not that stupid.
You were careless. You thought Emily was never going to leave you.
So you became indifferent to her feelings and your actions. ”
Lucas could barely breathe, but his lips curled with stubborn determination. “Then I’ll win her over again. I only want Emily. She’s the only woman I’ll ever take as my wife.”
Taylor exhaled sharply, then grabbed Lucas by the collar and shoved him toward the car.
“Fine! Get in the car for now.”
***
Morning broke, and Lucas was still in his car, driving aimlessly.
He couldn’t go back inside the house; Emily’s thoughts flooded his mind, relentless, haunting every corner of his memory.
Burnt cigarettes littered the ground, one still clutched in his hand out the window, smoke curling into the cold morning air.
He leaned back against the seat, jaw tense, face tight with stress and frustration.
His phone rang. Absent-mindedly, he picked it up. Dillon’s name flashed on the screen.
“Mr. Cantrell, Mr. Danny is back in the country,” Dillon said. “Didn’t you always want to make a deal with him for your business? He’s hosting a private business gathering today at a hotel and has invited you.”
Lucas rubbed the bridge of his nose with a stressed expression. Finally, he took a deep breath and muttered, “Alright,” then hung up the phone.
Three hours later, Lucas entered the gathering that was being held in a hotel’s conference room, his stride brisk but his face pale from a night without rest. He slid into his assigned seat, shoulders stiff, his fingers drumming absently on the polished wooden table.
The projector light flickered across the room, casting dull shadows as the presentation for the upcoming projects by Mr. Danny’s company carried on.
However, Lucas wasn’t listening. His mind was elsewhere. Restless, distracted.
Then—footsteps. The sharp echo of heels striking marble broke through the steady hum of voices and rustling papers.
Lucas turned his head toward the door with absent-minded disinterest.
Emily walked in.