ROLAND’S POV
I had been sitting in Sebastian’s office for the better part of an hour, waiting for his meeting to end. The soft hum of the air conditioning did little to ease the restlessness bubbling inside me.
My eyes flicked to the phone vibrating on his desk-Sasha’s name lighting up the screen again.
The fourth missed call.
Sebastian had made it clear before stepping into the conference room: no interruptions unless it was a matter of life and death. Knowing him, that didn’t mean I could ignore his wife’s calls entirely. Not after what had been happening recently.
I stood, hesitating for a moment as the phone buzzed again. Picking it up, I stared at the name glowing against the screen. “I’ll handle this,” I muttered under my breath and reached for my own phone.
Dialling Sasha’s number, I leaned back against the desk, listening to the tone ring before she answered.
“Hello?” Her voice sounded strained, and my chest tightened slightly. I cleared my throat, keeping my tone calm.
“Sasha, it’s Roland,” I said. “Sebastian’s in a meeting right now, but I saw you called. Is everything alright?”
There was a pause, just long enough to make me uneasy. When she finally spoke, her words came out uneven, like she was holding something back. “It’s been a long day, Roland.”
“Tell me,” I said, leaning forward instinctively, even though I knew she couldn’t see me.
She sighed, a shaky sound that made the line feel heavier. “I got a call from the hospital this morning. They thought my father might’ve made some progress, so I went.”
” I sat there for hours, waiting, watching him… but nothing. No movement. Nothing to show that he’s closer to waking up. It was-” She stopped abruptly, her voice cracking.
“Disappointing,” I finished for her.
“Yes.” Her voice was a whisper now. “I just-” She trailed off, and I could practically feel the frustration and helplessness radiating through the phone.
“Sasha,” I said gently, keeping my voice low and steady. “I’m sorry you’re going through this.
I can’t imagine how hard it must be, but you’re not alone. Sebastian’s going to want to know about this as soon as he’s free. He’ll call you back the moment I tell him.”
“I don’t want to interrupt him,” she said, though the tremor in her voice suggested otherwise.
“You’re his wife,” I said firmly. “There’s no such thing as interrupting when it comes to you.”
She let out a soft, bitter laugh. “You’re kind, Roland. Too kind. Thank you for calling me back, though. I needed to hear a friendly voice.”
“You’ve got mine anytime,” I said, glancing toward the conference room door. “And Sebastian’s too, even if he’s bad at showing it sometimes.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” she said, and I could hear the faint smile in her voice despite everything. “Just-make sure he knows, alright? About my father?”
“I will,” I promised. “He’ll know everything.”
There was a pause, then a soft “Thank you” before the line went dead. I stared at the phone for a moment, then slipped it back into my pocket.
Before I could sink too deeply into thought, the conference room door opened, and Sebastian strode out, his expression sharp and focused as always.
His tie was slightly loosened, a telltale sign of a long and draining meeting, but his eyes were as calculating as ever when they landed on me.
“What is it?” he asked, already sensing that I had something to say.
“Sasha called,” I said, straightening. “A few times, actually. I called her back since you were tied up.”
Sebastian’s brow furrowed, a flicker of concern crossing his face before he schooled it back into neutrality. “What did she say?”
I gave him the rundown-about the hospital, her father, the disappointment that had clearly hit her harder than she wanted to admit. He listened silently, his jaw tightening as I spoke.
“I’ll call her now,” he said, already reaching for his phone.
“Before you do that,” I said, pulling a folded photo from my jacket pocket, “there’s something else you need to see.”
His hand froze midway to his phone as he took the picture from me. His eyes narrowed as he studied the man in the image-a grainy shot but clear enough to make out the smug smirk on the stranger’s face.
“This is him,” I said, my voice hard. “The one who sent those photos to Sasha. The one trying to mess with your marriage.”
Sebastian’s grip on the photo tightened, his knuckles turning white.
“Who is he?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
“We’re still running a full background check, but we’ve got a location,” I said. “He’s holed up in a hotel downtown. Easy enough to get to.”
Sebastian’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, the cold, calculating man I worked for was replaced by someone far more primal. “And you’re sure it’s him?”
“As sure as I can be,” I said. “The tech team traced the messages back to his burner phone. He’s been careful, but not careful enough.”
Sebastian didn’t say anything for a moment, his gaze fixed on the photo. When he finally spoke, his voice was like ice.
“Did you ask why he’s doing this?”
“I haven’t approached him yet,” I said. “I wanted to leave that to you. But if you’d prefer I handle it…”
“No,” he said sharply, cutting me off. “This is personal. He dared to come after my wife, my marriage. I’ll be the one to deal with him.”
I nodded, already moving to grab my coat. “I’ll take you to him.”
Sebastian pocketed the photo, his jaw set as he strode toward the door. “Let’s go.”
The drive to the hotel was tense, the air thick with unspoken anger radiating from Sebastian. He didn’t speak, and I didn’t push him, knowing better than to interrupt when he was in this state.
By the time we arrived, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the city in shades of orange and purple. The hotel was nondescript, the kind of place people went when they didn’t want to be found.
“He’s in room 314,” I said as we stepped out of the car.
Sebastian nodded, his movements precise as we made our way inside. He didn’t wait for me to take the lead, his long strides carrying him toward the elevator with purpose.
When we reached the door to room 314, he stopped, turning to me. “Wait here.”
I hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“I won’t ask twice,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I nodded, stepping back as he raised a hand and knocked on the door.
What happened next would be between him and the man who thought he could destroy everything Sebastian held dear. And judging by the look in his eyes, it wasn’t going to end well for the latter.