SASHA POV
I step into the room, my patience already wearing thin. The soft hum of ambient music barely muffles the clicking of her heels as she strides toward me.
She’s dressed in a way that commands attention, her confidence palpable as she looks at me with that familiar smirk tugging at her lips. I don’t have time for this. Not tonight. Not ever, really.
“Well, well, Sebastian,” she says, her voice dripping with a mock sweetness that’s as sharp as a blade.
“I thought you’d forgotten about me.”
“I didn’t forget,” I reply, my tone firm, leaving no room for her games. “I’ve just been busy.”
She arches a perfectly sculpted brow, leaning against the sleek, polished bar at the far end of the room.
“Too busy to return my calls? To answer my messages?” She tilts her head, a feigned pout forming on her lips. “That doesn’t sound like the Sebastian I know.”
“The Sebastian you knew doesn’t exist anymore,” I say flatly, keeping my distance. “I’ve moved on.”
Her laugh is low and humourless as she steps closer, her perfume reaching me before she does.
“Oh, spare me. You don’t just move on from someone like me. We’ve had… an arrangement, remember? And I’d say it’s worked out pretty well for both of us.”
I clench my jaw, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. “Things have changed.”
“Have they?” she asks, her tone sharp now, the amusement slipping away. “You think you can just brush me off? I don’t think so.”
“I don’t have time for this,” I say, turning toward the door, determined to end this pointless conversation.
Before I can take another step, her hand clamps around my arm, nails pressing into my sleeve. “Don’t walk away from me,” she hisses. Her voice is low, but there’s no mistaking the warning in her tone.
“You know exactly how valuable I am to you, Sebastian. Do you really think you can afford to lose me as a business partner?”
I stop, glancing over my shoulder at her. Her face is a mix of fury and desperation, a side of her I rarely see.
But her words don’t shake me the way she thinks they will. If anything, they solidify what I already know.
“You’re right,” I say, my voice calm but edged with steel. “You are a valuable business partner. But that’s all you are. That’s all you’ve ever been.”
Her grip tightens for a moment before she lets go, crossing her arms as she glares at me. “Don’t lie to me, Sebastian. We both know that’s not true. Not after everything we’ve shared.”
“There’s nothing to lie about,” I reply, turning to face her fully now. “What we had, whatever it was, it’s over. It’s over. I’m not that man anymore.”
Her lips curl into a bitter smile. “So, this is about her. Your little wife.”
I stiffen at the mention of Sasha, but I don’t let her see how deeply her words cut. “Her name is Sasha,” I say evenly, my gaze unwavering.
“And she’s not little. She’s my wife. My partner. And yes, this is about her. I care about her deeply. So, whatever you think we had, whatever you think you can hold over me, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
She scoffs, brushing a strand of hair off her shoulder as she steps closer, invading my space.
“You expect me to believe you’ve suddenly turned into a saint because of her? That you’re done fooling around, done… indulging?” Her eyes search mine, looking for any crack in my resolve.
“Come on, Sebastian. You and I both know you’re not built for monogamy.”
“You don’t know me as well as you think you do,” I say, my voice cold now.
“And even if you did, that doesn’t give you the right to make demands of me. I’ve made my choice, and it’s not you.”
Her eyes narrow, her confidence faltering for just a moment before she straightens her spine. “You’re making a mistake,” she says, her voice hard.
“You think she’ll stick around when she finds out who you really are? What have you done? Men like you don’t get happy endings, Sebastian.”
I take a step forward, towering over her as I lower my voice to a near growl. “You don’t get to talk about her. You don’t get to talk about my marriage, my life, or what I deserve.
What I had with you, whatever it was, it’s done. Over. If you want to pull out of our business arrangement because I won’t play your games anymore, then go ahead.
But don’t think for a second that you can manipulate me into giving you what you want.”
Her mouth opens as if to argue, but no words come out. She stares at me, stunned, as if she’s never heard anyone speak to her this way before. Maybe she hasn’t. Maybe that’s part of the problem.
I take a step back, adjusting my cufflinks as I prepare to leave. “Goodbye,” I say, my voice calm but final.
She doesn’t stop me this time as I turn and walk toward the door. My footsteps echo in the quiet room, each step feeling like a weight lifting off my shoulders.
I don’t look back, even though I can feel her eyes boring into my back, her silence more deafening than any argument she could have thrown at me.
When I step into the hallway, I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It’s done. Whatever hold she thought she had over me, whatever power she thought she wielded it’s gone now.
Sasha is the only one who matters. And I’ll be damned if I let anyone or anything, jeopardise what I have with her.