Chapter 9

I went straight to the hospital to see my father.

He was in a hospital bed. Pale.

Mom's eyes were red. Her voice was rough. "When you first left, everything was fine."

"But lately, Sebastian has been… unhinged. He's been pressuring your father. Pushing for a merger. A marriage alliance. Trying to force you home."

"Your father refused. So he went after the company."

"Your father got upset. Got sick."

My skin went cold.

I forced a smile. "It's okay. I'm here now."

"I'll take care of it from now on."

I wiped my eyes.

I went to the office.

The years abroad hadn't been for nothing. I could read the books. I could find the errors.

But it took time. I practically lived at the office. Settling shareholders. Meeting with investors.

One of the senior staff tried to talk me down.

"Ms. Harrington. If you'd just apologize to Mr. Blackwood, you wouldn't have to work yourself to death."

She meant well. "Everyone makes mistakes when they're young."

"Mr. Blackwood has been downstairs every night for three weeks. Waiting."

A headache built behind my eyes.

I got up and walked to the window.

Light rain. Heavy night.

Sebastian's car was parked downstairs, headlights on. He was leaning against the driver's door, a cigarette between his fingers.

Fine.

The books couldn't be balanced in a week. So let's burn together instead.

I grabbed an umbrella and went down.

Sebastian's face lit up.

I held his gaze and laid it out. "Yes. You can destroy my family's company."

"But Blackwood and Harrington are tied together in dozens of joint ventures."

"If you keep this up, you'll take Blackwood down with us."

Rain hammered the umbrella. A steady, ticking sound.

Sebastian forced a smile. Obsessive. Stubborn. "There's a win-win option."

"Marry me."

That actually confused me.

A two-year relationship, from years ago. What was there left to hold onto?

Once two people split, there's no going back. Not really.

And anyway.

I sighed. I lifted my left hand. "Sebastian. I'm married."

We sat across from each other in a café.

Sebastian held out a towel. His voice was low. "Dry off. Your shoulder's soaked."

I didn't take it.

I took a fresh one from the server.

Sebastian's hand hung in the air. His fingers curled around the towel, tight.

"I don't believe you."

I dabbed the damp ends of my hair. Looked up. "Sorry?"

Sebastian smiled. Hollow, stubborn.

"Sophia. You can't lie to me."

"Three years in London. All you did was eat, study, go dancing sometimes. And go to the hospital."

My hands stilled.

Sebastian leaned across the table. Closer.

"Sophia. You can't let me go."

"That's why you got sick."

The corner of his mouth curled, coaxing. "Which means you still love me."

My head went light.

I opened my mouth to answer.

A warm hand landed on my shoulder.

Soothed me.

I turned.

Julian Pemberton, windblown, dripping rainwater from his coat.

His brows were drawn tight. His voice cold. "So you knew she was sick. And you still went after her family's company to force her hand?"

"Sebastian. I'd heard the stories. Turns out they undersold it."

"You really are scum."

Sebastian's face went white, then green. Veins stood out at his temple. "Sophia. Who is this?"

Julian slid into the seat next to me. His eyes were sharp. "I'm Sophia's husband. Want to see the marriage certificate, buddy?"

Sebastian's eyes went red-rimmed.

His lips trembled. "That's not possible. I would've heard—"

Quiet music played.

Julian's cologne was clean and piney. Nice.

I sighed. "It's true."

"And Sebastian. Even if I wasn't married. There's no version of us."

Sebastian's voice cracked. "Because of Chloe? I threw her out."

I shook my head, expressionless.

He pushed. Desperate. "Because of the first place? Sophia, I'll throw you ten competitions, a hundred. I'll rebuild the whole thing. Just don't leave me."

Sebastian was swearing it. Begging.

Something in me went sad.

Julian's hand closed hard around mine. He looked at me, gentle. I took a deep breath.

Got up the nerve.

"None of that."

"Sebastian. There were a hundred ways you could've made me give Chloe first place."

"You chose the most disgusting one."

There was a small sound.

Sebastian's cup slipped out of his hand. Burning coffee splashed across his shirt and his lap.

He didn't seem to feel it.

I paused and added one more thing.

"Sebastian. You've rotted."