Chapter 13
Two Months Later
I was forced to spend the next two weeks in the hospital. It was a private hospital that I was informed would be paid for by the Trivium Foundation, which I heard was connected to the Regent”s University. I hated being there, but Sebastian had insisted. I had various doctors and nurses and trauma specialists coming in to speak to me. My injuries were minor. Mostly bruising and a slight concussion. There was some tearing from the rape, but the doctor declared it was minimal and would heal on its own. Sebastian stayed through all the physical examinations, holding my hand as people poked and prodded at me. He was there the whole time. Every night that I woke up crying from the nightmares, Sebastian was there to comfort me.
After I was released from the hospital Sebastian took me back to the apartment. He told me he needed to go away for a while; he had to deal with the fallout, but I could stay at the apartment for as long as I wanted to. I told Sebastian about what Alec had told me. How I thought Sebastian had had me expelled because I rejected him, and about how Alec had continued to ruin my life, taking my money, and hurting my friends. Sebastian told me that Alec had also been responsible for Sebastian not getting a place in one of the main clubhouses at university. Alec had reported Sebastian for stalking and sexual assault. He had given evidence that was now believed to be evidence of Alec”s own crimes. Sebastian had been told that I was the one reporting him. He had blamed me all these years, just as I had blamed him. We were as bad as each other.
I didn”t understand why it was so important for Sebastian to be in one of those clubs until Davis told me that they were more than just university social circles. Only members of these clubs could join the Trivium Foundation, and apparently Sebastian”s family heritage was tied to the foundation. This meant that as a non-member that Sebastian had no access to his family”s estate, which Davis told me was in excess of fifty million pounds. He also told me that Sebastian had been given a second chance to get his membership, but due to the rules of the foundation, it was required for members to be married.
It wasn”t until two weeks ago that I had received documents via a courier that I found out how much Sebastian was losing. There were several documents. One was from the Wife for Hire Agency confirming that my contract with Sebastian had been terminated at full contract price. Sebastian had paid the full fee for the six months and requested that I wasn”t to be penalised for the early termination. Sebastian had also covered the Agency”s fee, and I was informed that my debt with the Regent”s University had been resolved as well. Inside, along with the documents was a cheque from the Agency in my name for ￡100,000. There was also a statement of accounts with a request for signature to confirm a change of name. The account looked like it was in the name of Lily McIntyre. I realised it was the money that Alec had taken from me and invested. That sick bastard really did think that I would come around. The statement showed the account balance at ￡142,000. I had only had about three grand when it was taken from me. The last thing was a letter from Sebastian himself.
”Lily,
My sweet tempting apple. I am sorry that I could not deliver this in person. I am still in the middle of this mess. I promise that once I have sorted everything out, I will make contact. I hope that the rest of this package goes some way to make up for what you have had to deal with these last few years.
You will probably be happy to know that you are no longer under contract with me, you are not my wife anymore. It”s strange because it took the Agency asking if I wanted them to arrange for a new contract with another woman for me, to realise what I guess I already knew. I told them no, by the way. I told them I only ever wanted one woman to be my wife. No other woman could even come close.
You see, Lily Appleby; I was obsessed with you the moment that I first met you. I know that the foundation paired us for a reason, but I don”t think they even knew the impact. I used to think that your name was just the sign that you were my own temptation, my own apple as it was. That my obsession with you was why I was destined for Hell. But now I realise that it is the opposite. You are my heaven, and you are the only woman that I ever want in my life. I am in love with you, and I will always be in love with you.
Which is why I ask for one thing from you, and if you say no, then I will accept it, because I respect your decision. When I am done with all this crap, I would like to take you on a date. No contracts, no archaic pairing shit. Just me and you on a date.
Always hopeful that one day I will call you my wife for real.
Sebastian Lynch.”
Sebastian had not only paid me, but in terminating the contract he had lost his chance of getting his family”s estate. He had literally given up millions for me. And all he was asking for was a date. I picked up the phone and sent a message to Jade, my former contact at the Agency. Two minutes later I received a message back with a link to a video call. I clicked the link and waited for the video to connect.
”Good afternoon, Miss Appleby,” The woman that I had only met once and knew as Miss May, said as she appeared on the screen. ”I trust you received the contract termination by now.”
”Yes, thank you,” I said.
”Brilliant, well how is it that I can help you then?”
”I have a request that may be a little unorthodox,” I said. Miss May raised an eyebrow, and I smiled as my plan formed in my mind.