SEBASTIAN’S POV
The sound of the door slamming against the wall reverberated through the house, cutting through the rare,
peaceful silence. I tensed instantly, my arm tightening instinctively around Sasha.
Her startled gasp matched the icy rage that surged through me as I turned to face the intruder.
It was him. My father.
He strode in as if he owned the place, his expensive shoes clicking against the marble floors, his expression calm but sharp, as though daring me to challenge his presence.
He didn’t even spare Sasha a glance. All his focus was on me.
“Sebastian,” he said, his voice calm yet mocking. “I see you’re enjoying your domestic bliss.”
“Get out,” I said. My voice was low but firm, a warning laced with barely restrained anger.
He raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Is that how you greet your father these days? My, how marriage has softened you.”
I didn’t bother responding. Instead, I stepped in front of Sasha, shielding her from his scrutiny. “You have no right to be here. I didn’t invite you.”
“And yet, here I am.” He crossed his arms, his gaze raking over the room as if inspecting it for flaws. “I came to deliver some news. Important news.”
“I don’t care,” I snapped.
My father’s smirk widened. “Oh, you’ll care about this, trust me. One of your vital partners,
let’s call her… a mutual friend
has decided to withdraw her support.”
His words hit their mark. My jaw clenched, and I felt Sasha’s curious gaze on me, though she wisely stayed silent.
“Who?” I demanded, though I already had an idea.
“Ah, I’m so glad you asked,” he said, his tone almost gleeful. “It’s Vanessa. She’s decided she no longer wants to do business with you.”
Vanessa. The name alone was enough to stoke the embers of my frustration into a blaze. She was a complicated business partner-one I’d tolerated for far too long because her resources were invaluable.
But her demands had grown increasingly intrusive, pushing boundaries I wasn’t willing to cross anymore. Not since Sasha came into my life.
“Good,” I said coldly.
My father’s smug expression faltered for a moment before he recovered. “Good? You’re not even going to try to salvage the relationship?”
“I’ve been waiting for the right moment to cut her loose,” I said. “This just made the decision easier.”
His laughter was sudden and loud, filling the room with its mocking edge. “Oh, Sebastian. You really think you can afford to lose her support?”
“I don’t need her,” I said firmly. “Not anymore.”
“You don’t need her,” he repeated, as if testing the weight of my words.
“Interesting. Because last I checked, you were quite… accommodating when it came to keeping her happy. Or have you conveniently forgotten?”
My grip on the gun in my hand tightened before I deliberately lowered it. I didn’t need it to assert control over this situation.
“Things are different now,” I said, my voice steady. “I won’t jeopardise my marriage to appease someone like her.”
My father’s laughter came again, softer this time but no less cutting. “Your marriage,” he said, almost as if the word itself amused him.
“Do you honestly believe Sasha is any different from the rest?”
“Don’t,” I warned, my tone sharp.
“Oh, come now,” he said, ignoring me completely. “Do you think she’ll still be around when she realises the kind of man you really are? Or should I say, the kind of man you were?”
“I don’t owe you an explanation for my choices,” I said. “And I don’t need your approval. You’ve overstepped for the last time.”
“And you’ve grown soft,” he shot back, stepping closer. “You’re blinded by this fantasy of a normal life. But you and I both know that men like us don’t get to live that way. Not for long.”
I didn’t flinch, didn’t let his words penetrate the armour I’d built around myself. “This conversation is over,” I said. “Leave.”
“Not until I’ve had my say,” he countered.
“I don’t care what you have to say!” My voice rose, my anger finally spilling over.
“You’ve been interfering in my life for as long as I can remember, but this is where it stops.”
” Sasha is my wife. My wife. And if cutting ties with Vanessa or anyone else is what it takes to protect her, then that’s what I’ll do.”
His smirk returned, sharper than before. “Protect her,” he said, as if the idea were ludicrous.
“Tell me, Sebastian, how many others have you ‘protected’ in the past? How many promises have you broken to keep your precious empire intact?”
I said nothing, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.
“Exactly,” he said, as if my silence proved his point. “You can try to play the devoted husband all you want, but we both know the truth.”
“This isn’t the first time you’ve sacrificed your so-called integrity for the sake of a business deal. And it won’t be the last.”
His words hung in the air like a challenge, daring me to deny them. But I wouldn’t give him that power.
“You’re wrong,” I said finally, my voice low but steady. “I’ve made mistakes, yes. But this is different. Sasha is different.”
He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he laughed, a harsh, humourless sound that grated against my nerves.
“You keep telling yourself that,” he said. “But mark my words, Sebastian. You can’t escape who you are. No matter how hard you try.”
Without another word, he turned and walked out, leaving a trail of tension in his wake.
I stood there for a long moment, my fists clenched at my sides, the weight of his accusations pressing down on me. Then I felt Sasha’s hand on my arm, her touch gentle but grounding.
“Sebastian,” she said softly.
I turned to face her, meeting her concerned gaze. “I’m sorry,” I said, my voice rough with emotion. “You shouldn’t have had to see that.”
She shook her head. “It’s not your fault. But… is what he said true?”
I hesitated, the question cutting deeper than I expected. But I knew I couldn’t lie to her. Not about this.
“I’ve done things I’m not proud of,” I admitted. “Made choices I regret. But I meant what I said, Sasha. You’re my priority now. And I won’t let anyone,
my father, Vanessa, or anyone else please come between us.”
She searched my face for a long moment, then nodded. “I believe you,” she said.
Her words were a balm to the turmoil inside me, but I knew the battle wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
As I pulled her into my arms, I silently vowed to prove to her-and to myself, that I could be the man she deserved. No matter what it took.