CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
EMILY
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I shouldn’t. I know I shouldn’t. But I feel like Cinderella at the ball. This prince of mine might have a permanent scowl, but when he’s looking at me, his beautiful green eyes light up and I swear none of this is make-believe.
Except it is.
Tomorrow, I’m going home back to my apartment. Sebastian has arranged for me to interview with Mason as his PA. He’s great, so I’m sure I will like working for him.
But I was right.
Sebastian wants me out of his life after tonight.
That hurts, but he never lied to me.
Tonight, I’m pushing away my feelings and just living in the moment.
All his friends are lovely and extremely good looking. So much so, it should be illegal. Colt is amused by our situation and enjoys teasing Sebastian. It’s fun to watch.
I couldn’t hide my smile at one point.
That got me a pinch on the bottom.
“You’ll pay for that when we get home,” Sebastian whispered in my ear.
“Promises, promises.” I grinned as I turned my face up to his.
The heat between us sizzled until the reminder that it’s our last night together surfaced, and my smile disappeared.
Dancing surprised me, and I love the way it feels to be the woman in his life with all his attention. I could die happy right now.
Too soon, the song ends.
“Em...” Sebastian places his hands on my hip as we reach the edge of the dancefloor.
I lay my palm on his chest after turning and tilt my face. God, he’s the most beautiful man in the world. Forgetting we’re in public, I reach for his cheek, brushing my fingers over his short whiskers.
I blame the champagne when I say, “I am going to miss you.”
I’m still hurt, but what’s the point? It’s better to forgive and let him know that I’ve enjoyed our time together and will never forget him.
Never.
“Em.” Heat pours from him as his fingers press harder. “Stay with me. Stay for a little longer.”
My eyes widen.
What is he saying? He wants me to stay...with him? At his house? In this fake relationship? I’m not going to jump to conclusions. That would be bad.
Very bad.
“Stay...where?”
“With me.” His hand covers mine, and he turns it to kiss my palm.
I almost melt into a puddle of happiness.
“At your home?”
His handsome smile spreads across his face, and I’m sure the planet just stopped turning for a moment.
“Yes, Em, at my home. With me. In my bedroom. Hell, I don’t know what this means, I just know that I don’t want you to leave tomorrow.”
Same.
I don’t know if I’ll ever want to leave this man, and therein lies the problem.
I don’t know what this means.
I do not fuck multiple women...nor am I interested in getting married.
I glance away, but he takes my face and gently kisses my lips.
“Let’s take it day by day. Tonight, I’m taking you home and making love to you slowly, savoring every inch of your gorgeous—”
“What the fuck, Emily?!”
Sebastian and I pull apart, spinning as Terri shouts at me.
Oh, my god.
Wait, did Sebastian say make love?
Why is Terri here?
What is going on?
The single most romantic moment of my life was just torn from me, and all I can do is swivel my head between Terri and Sebastian.
A few people around us look our way.
“Ms. Garcia, what are you doing here?” Sebastian asks, his hand dropping away from my hip.
A little too late there, pal.
She flaps a bunch of papers at us, looking furious. “Is this a setup?”
Is this about Victor? Has she lost it and going to risk her job?
“Terri, hey.” I take a step forward and she halts me with her waving folder and wild angry eyes.
“Don’t hey me! What the hell is going on here?” She indicates both me and Sebastian. “I’m being blamed for this, and it wasn’t me.”
The protesters?
I’m confused.
Sebastian curses, and I see Khalid, Victor, and Mason close in on us.
“What’s going on?” Victor stands beside Terri, who jumps when she hears his voice.
Brandon joins us.
“Terri,” I whisper pleadingly. “Let’s do this tomorrow.”
“I saw you two together. Are you part of this setup?” Terri demands, looking hysterical. “Who are you really with that big damn ring? Fake my ass, that’s real, isn’t it? So what, you’re fucking Sebastian?”
Oh shit.
Blood rushes from my face and all I can do is stand frozen, waiting for someone to say something, terrified of doing the wrong thing while Khalid observes the entire thing
Sebastian curses.
With all this media around, we must keep this quiet. It would be disastrous for all of us. Kissing him is one thing, announcing an engagement is another.
“I, ah—” Taking a step forward, Terri stops me again.
“I will not stay silent and let you fire me. I have proof.” She waves the folder at Brandon. “I did not change the document. Someone else did.”
“Care to explain?” Khalid asks, crossing his arms.
“What document?” Sebastian’s voice is thick with anger.
Victor rips the documents from her and grabs her arm. “Terri messed up the zoning application. She will be fired tomorrow.”
What?
“I didn’t do it. Emily, tell them!” She pleads and everyone turns to me.
“What is going on?” Sebastian growls.
“I, um.” I look at the sheikh, not wanting to air Sebastian's dirty laundry in front of him, then at Victor and back to Sebastian. “You need to stop him. Get the documents.”
He hesitates a moment, then nods at Brandon.
“Are you kidding me? You believe this little slut that you’re fucking instead of me?”
Ouch.
Brandon takes the documents and pulls them out.
“Call her that again, and you will meet my goddamn fist.”
I tug my bottom lip between my teeth and try to get Terri’s attention. She won’t look at me.
“Don’t listen to a word she says. She messed up and is now trying to save her ass.” Victor grunts but takes a step away, dropping Terri’s arm.
She wraps her arms around herself and drops her face.
I go to hug her, but Sebastian stops me.
“I saw the email Victor sent to Gordon Fanning, the guy leading the protests,” I say, pointing to the papers, confident Terri would have included it.
“What the hell is going on here?” Khalid takes a step closer.
“It’s all in there.” Terri points to the folder. “He’s been sabotaging everything for months. Including the zoning application.”
“Is this true?” Sebastian glares furiously at Victor.
“It’s true.” I nod, facing Sebastian. “I spoke to Gordon today and confirmed it.”
His eyes widen. “I’m sorry. You did fucking what?”
His harshness surprises me.
“I...I wanted to see if I could help.”
“He’s lied! Emily is not his fiancée!” Victor pipes up. “Everything he’s told you is a lie. The project is fucked. The DOB won’t approve the development. It’s never going to get off the ground.”
“Fiancée?” Terri gasps.
I turn to Sebastian, his anger on full dial, his face red.
The sheikh shakes his head and walks away.
“I can fix this—”
“You can’t fucking fix this! You need to just stay out of this,” Sebastian yells. “Get them out of here.”
What?
A sob works its way inside my chest as my world falls apart.
No.
Mason reaches for me, and my legs wobble.
“In fact, take Emily home.” Sebastian snarls, ripping the blue diamond off my finger. “To her place.”
No!
I feel the earth shake beneath my feet as I tremble and a tear falls down my face.
“Goodbye Emily.” Sebastian turns his back to me. “Victor, come with me!”
Mason ushers me out of the ballroom and the world is a blur as I hear Terri say, fuck all of you and that she’s taking a cab home.
I don’t look at her, I just stare at the ugly carpet as she leaves. I have nothing to say.
I did lie.
I lied for him, and he’s thrown me away like I’m a disposable pair of gloves. Like I mean nothing to him.
Em, stay with me longer.
A sob escapes as I remember the way he looked at me just minutes ago. The clear desire and emotion spoke of much more than our chemistry.
Tonight, I want to take you home and make love slowly, savoring every inch of you.
Finally, his words matched what I was seeing and feeling.
Then Terri arrived.
His anger was so sharp, and I don’t understand why it was directed at me.
Why?
It’s Victor who has betrayed him.
I’d even understand him being angry at Terri for showing up in the middle of the event when she could’ve waited until the morning. Clearly she was scared, but it has ruined everything.
She feels betrayed, I get that, but as I blink, my chest aching and my brain catching up with the extent of the damage that’s been done, I’m a little angry with her myself.
Goodbye Emily.
Mason leads me to his waiting vehicle, and I lift the red silk of my dress and climb in. Looks like this Cinderella is heading home to her pumpkin.
Mason shuts the door, and the car pulls away, heading toward Sebastian’s penthouse. It’s awkwardly quiet for a few minutes, but I don’t give a flying fig.
“Give him time. He’s angry and embarrassed,” Mason says, his arm resting on his knee.
I give him a soft nod.
“I don’t have the code to get in,” I say after another minute.
Mason gives me a cheeky smile. “I got you. Best friend privileges.”
“Oh.” I nod, feeling numb.
A N HOUR LATER, Mason stands outside my apartment door carrying my bag—he refused to stay downstairs—as I shove my key in the lock.
“Here’s my card. I want you to come in for an interview. Don’t let this derail your life,” he says, and I almost hug—
I plant my face in his chest.
“Shit,” he curses, wrapping his arms around me.
“Don’t tell him. I don’t want him to know I was upset.” I sniff, pretending his strong muscular chest and arms are Sebastian’s. Just for a second.
Because I know I’ll never feel him again.
What we had is over, and it wasn’t real to begin with.
“It’s our secret. I’ll tell him we were doing car karaoke on the way home,” he says.
I smile sadly, then straighten. “Thanks, Mason.”
“Promise to come in next week?” He rubs my arm like I’m his little sister, and I nod.
“Good.”
Then he pushes open the door, drops my bag inside, and gives me one last smile before leaving. The click of the door is like a full stop after a life that could’ve been.
And never will.
Goodbye Sebastian.
I never got to say those words, but I need to.
Glancing around my small, quiet, and cold apartment, I feel the void in front of me. I have no idea who I am anymore or where I’m headed.
Alone in New York City with no job, no prospects—for all I know, Mason was just being nice—and a father waiting for me to fail.
Which I have.
“Goodbye Sebastian,” I whisper as tears fall down my face.
I stare at my bare finger that only wore the engagement ring for four days, and yet, it feels empty and sad.
Angrily brushing my tears away with the back of my hand, I carry my bag into my bedroom and stare in the mirror.
The red Chanel couture gown sits on my shoulders, hugging my breasts, and then flares around my hips. I look like a movie star. Inside a little silk bag that accompanied it, there were a pair of diamond studs and a tennis bracelet.
It was a surprise when I was dressing and felt like a gift from my lover.
Staring at myself in the mirror, I see someone I don’t recognize. Someone I was pretending to be. This woman is someone who would marry the powerful and influential Sebastian Remington.
But it was smoke and mirrors.
I unzip the dress and let it fall to the floor. Then rip off the jewelry.
Even in the lingerie I splurged on, and my hair twisted up, I can see the girl I really am.
Emily from London.
A no one.
Black streaks run down my face. I look like a woman who has been used and tossed away.
I am.
I promised to interview with Mason next week, but he’s Sebastian’s best friend. As the minutes tick by and my heart tightens further, I’m not sure it’s a good idea.
I couldn’t imagine seeing him. Being the girl at the desk while he strides through all powerful while ignoring me. Or one day with a woman on his arm that he does love. Someone from his world. His status.
I didn’t deserve his wrath, and it’s the second time he’s hurt me in the past day, essentially showing me that I mean nothing.
There won’t be a third time.