ROLAND’S POV
A full week had passed, and the suffocating monotony of Sebastian’s mansion was slowly gnawing at my nerves.
The grandeur of the place didn’t help; if anything, it made me feel even more trapped.
I spent most mornings seated on the edge of my bed, staring at the opulence that surrounded me-the high ceilings, the crystal chandeliers, the silk curtains that didn’t let in enough sunlight to make the room feel alive. It was a gilded cage, beautiful but suffocating.
This morning was no different. I woke up early, my mind buzzing with the endless list of things I needed to do, plans I needed to make.
But how was I supposed to accomplish anything when I couldn’t even leave the damn house? My legs itch to move, to pace, to run anything to escape the feeling of being stuck.
I stood, stretching my stiff limbs, and began pacing the length of my room. Back and forth, back and forth, like a restless tiger in a zoo.
My thoughts spiraled as I walked, each one louder than the last. What am I doing here? Why am I wasting time? There’s so much to plan, so much to prepare.
I glanced at the door, tempted to leave, but then hesitated. Where would I even go? Sebastian had made it clear he didn’t want me wandering around the city without a good reason.
He said it was for my safety, but it felt more like a leash.
I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated. This wasn’t me. I wasn’t the type to sit idle, waiting for things to happen. I was a man of action, someone who thrived on taking control, but here I was, caged and useless.
I stopped pacing and sat back down on the edge of the bed, my head in my hands. The silence of the mansion pressed down on me like a weight.
Even the usual hum of activity seemed absent today. Where was everyone? Sebastian’s staff, always bustling around, were nowhere to be seen. The emptiness was unnerving.
Then, like a bolt of lightning, an idea struck me. It was so sudden, so obvious, that I almost laughed at myself for not thinking of it sooner.
Why not check on Sebastian? He had been keeping to himself lately, more withdrawn than usual.
Maybe he needed someone to talk to, someone to pull him out of whatever funk he was in. And if I could get him to open up, maybe-just maybe,
I could use the opportunity to convince him to let me out of this house.
The idea energized me, and I didn’t waste a second. I stood, grabbed a jacket, and headed for the door. As I walked through the long, empty hallways of the mansion, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
The silence was too complete, too unnatural. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
When I reached Sebastian’s wing of the mansion, I hesitated outside his door.
What if he didn’t want to see me? What if he was in one of his moods? I shook my head, pushing the doubts aside. I couldn’t let myself overthink this.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked softly on the door. There was no answer. I waited a moment, then knocked again, louder this time. Still nothing. Concern prickled at the edges of my mind. Was he even in there?
“Sebastian?” I called out, my voice echoing slightly in the quiet hallway.
When there was still no response, I tried the doorknob. It turned easily, and I pushed the door open just enough to peek inside.
The room was dimly lit, the heavy curtains drawn tight against the sunlight. At first, I thought the room was empty, but then I saw him.
Sebastian was lying on his bed, one arm draped over his eyes, the other resting limply by his side. He looked utterly defeated, a stark contrast to the powerful, commanding man I was used to seeing.
His shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, his hair disheveled, and there was an empty glass on the nightstand next to him.
“Sebastian?” I said again, stepping into the room.
He didn’t move. For a brief, terrifying moment, I thought he might be unconscious, but then I saw the slow rise and fall of his chest.
“Hey,” I said, walking closer. “What’s going on with you?”
He let out a low groan but didn’t move his arm from his face. “What do you want, Roland?” he muttered, his voice hoarse.
I frowned, stepping closer until I was standing at the foot of the bed. “I could ask you the same thing. You’ve been holed up here for days. Are you okay?”
Sebastian let out a humorless laugh, finally lowering his arm to look at me. His eyes were bloodshot, his expression weary. “Do I look okay to you?”
“No,” I admitted. “You look like shit.”
He snorted, but there was no real humor in it. “Thanks for the honesty.”
I pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. “Talk to me, man. What’s going on?”
For a moment, I thought he was going to brush me off, but then he sighed and sat up, running a hand through his hair. “It’s nothing. Just… too much on my plate right now.”
I raised an eyebrow. “That’s not ‘nothing.’ Come on, Sebastian, you’re not the type to let things get to you like this. What’s really going on?”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached for the glass on the nightstand, only to realize it was empty. He set it back down with a frustrated sigh.
“Do you ever feel like no matter what you do, it’s never enough?” he said finally, his voice quiet.
I blinked, caught off guard by the vulnerability in his tone. “Yeah,” I said after a moment.
“I think everyone feels that way sometimes. But you… you’re Sebastian. You’re the guy who always has it together. At least, that’s what you want everyone to think.”
He gave me a sharp look, but there was no real anger in it. “And you’re the guy who always has a smartass comment, huh?”
“Guilty as charged,” I said, leaning back in the chair.
“But seriously, Sebastian. If you’re feeling like this, maybe it’s time to take a step back, reevaluate things.”
He shook his head. “I can’t. There’s too much at stake.”
“Like what?” I pressed.
He hesitated, his gaze flickering to the door as if he was afraid someone might overhear. “It’s… complicated.”
I sighed, leaning forward again. “Everything with you is complicated. Look, I’m not here to pry, but if you need someone to talk to, I’m here. You don’t have to do this alone, you know.”
For a long moment, he didn’t say anything. Then, finally, he looked at me, and there was something in his eyes I couldn’t quite read.
“Thanks, Roland,” he said quietly. “I mean it.”
I nodded, standing up. “Anytime. Now, why don’t you get some rest? You look like you could use it.”
He gave me a faint smile, lying back down on the bed. “Maybe I will.”
As I turned to leave, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more he wasn’t telling me. But for now, I decided to let it go. Whatever was weighing on Sebastian, I’d figure it out eventually. I always did.