SASHA’S POV
The party lights were dim, casting a warm glow across the room, yet nothing about the atmosphere felt comforting to me. Standing beside Sebastian,
I tried to quiet the noise in my head. He looked effortlessly charming in his suit, every bit the man I’d fallen for, but tonight that allure couldn’t silence my doubts.
I couldn’t shake the images from my mind. the photos I’d found, hidden away, of him with other women.
My stomach twisted as I thought of them, each one a piece of a puzzle I didn’t want to solve. I’d been carrying this burden alone, unwilling to confront him.
If I asked about the photos, wouldn’t that mean I didn’t trust him? And if I couldn’t trust him, what did we have left?
Tonight, I told myself, I’d try. I’d try to see him as the man I knew, not the stranger the photos painted him to be.
That’s why I agreed to come to this party with him. Maybe, I thought, this evening could help bridge the distance that had crept in between us.
But even as I smiled and nodded at strangers, I couldn’t stop myself from watching the other women in the room.
I scanned the crowd, wondering about the ones with perfectly styled hair and effortless confidence. Had he been with any of them? Did they know something I didn’t?
Sebastian’s hand settled on my lower back, drawing me closer to him as he introduced me to a couple of his acquaintances.
I forced a smile, though my pulse was hammered with questions I couldn’t bring myself to voice.
“Enjoying yourself?” he murmured, leaning in close so only I could hear.
I gave him a weak smile. “Of course. Just… a little tired, I guess.”
His eyes softened, and for a brief moment, I felt his warmth, the tenderness he usually reserved just for me. “We can leave early if you want.”
I shook my head quickly, feeling a pang of guilt. He had no idea what was going on inside me, the suspicions that gnawed at me every time I looked at him.
“No, I’m fine,” I replied. “You deserve to enjoy the night too.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but then his phone buzzed, and he glanced at it briefly. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back. Just going to the men’s room.”
I nodded, watching him weave through the crowd. Alone now, I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
Maybe tonight wasn’t the time to deal with these doubts. Maybe I could just enjoy being with him, even if it meant ignoring the questions swirling in my head.
But then, my phone vibrated, pulling me back to reality.
I pulled it out of my purse, hoping it was nothing important, only to feel my blood run cold. Another message. From the same unknown number.
My hand shook as I opened it, a chill spreading through me with each word.
“He isn’t the man you think he is. He’s been hiding things from you. You’d be better off without him. If you don’t believe me, go to the back room and see for yourself.”
I read the message over and over, each word more unsettling than the last. The same warnings had haunted me for days, urging me to end things with him.
Yet, I’d ignored them, chalking it up to someone’s twisted idea of a joke. But tonight, it felt too real, too pointed.
My gaze drifted to the doorway leading to the back rooms. What could possibly be waiting there? Was this another trick, or was there something I was meant to find?
My heart raced as I stood there, torn between disbelief and the nagging urge to just… look.
I didn’t want to believe the accusations, but a part of me was desperate for answers, even if they were ones I wasn’t ready for.
Taking a shaky breath, I made my decision and started toward the back of the room, weaving through the throngs of people until the sounds of laughter and music faded behind me.