Chapter 2
When Sebastian and I got married, we kept it completely under wraps. Aside from our parents and a few close friends, the whole world was clueless. My mom wasn’t exactly thrilled about the whole thing: “The Hayes family is wonderful, don’t get me wrong, but my daughter deserves better than sneaking around like some dirty little secret…”
But this was the guy I’d been crushing on for over a decade. Nobody knew how my heart practically exploded when I heard he and Charlotte had broken up. And definitely nobody knew how fast my pulse was racing when his tipsy dad started playing matchmaker for the two of us at that family dinner.
For me, all the fancy ceremonies and white dresses in the world couldn’t compare to the moment Sebastian actually said yes.
And the whole secret marriage thing? That was totally my idea.
The night before we were supposed to get our marriage license, I went over to his place and happened to overhear his buddy giving him shit: “Dude, the second word gets out that you’re married, Charlotte’s gonna be on the first flight back to New York.”
Sebastian was just sitting there, cigarette dangling from his lips, not saying a damn word. When he saw me walk in, he acted like nothing happened and pulled me onto his lap like everything was perfectly normal.
I snatched the cigarette right out of Sebastian’s mouth while his friend sat there looking absolutely stunned: “Let’s just keep the whole marriage thing on the down–low, yeah? I’m not trying to be the catalyst for someone else’s emotional meltdown.”
From day one of our relationship, I’d been brutally honest about everything–well, except for the tiny detail that I’d been
head–over–heels for him since forever.
I was also crystal clear about my feelings toward Charlotte, and I made damn sure Sebastian knew exactly what I expected from our marriage. “Look, I’m totally cool with you taking time to get to know me and hopefully fall for me eventually. But what I absolutely will NOT tolerate is you being with me while still hung up on someone else. If you can’t give me that, then we need to end this shit right now.”
I’ll never forget how Sebastian just chuckled, leaned down, and kissed me so hard it knocked the breath out of me. Just like he did back then, he got exactly what I was saying but still had that cocky smirk when he turned to his buddy: “You hear that, man? Better watch your mouth next time.”
The very next day, he locked down everything. Hell, we didn’t even go to City Hall–he had the officials come to us so we could get married in complete secrecy.
So I didn’t really blame the internet trolls for running their mouths. But when I actually saw that paparazzi photo clear as day, my heart still skipped a beat.
The reporter who posted it claimed he was sitting in his car when he took the shot. I zoomed in on the image, and through the pitch–black tinted windows, I seemed to really see the silhouette of his side face.
Below the photo was a clip from Charlotte’s airport interview. Some reporter had casually asked, “It’s pretty late–did you have someone special picking you up tonight, Miss Anderson?”
The gorgeous woman on screen blushed like a damn schoolgirl and giggled, “Well, that would be telling, wouldn’t it?”
There’s nothing worse in this world than vague answers and creepy coincidences, because they plant these seeds of doubt that grow into full–blown paranoia before you know it.
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Signed Divorce at 3PM By 5PM He Was Bleeding Out Saying “Don’t Go”
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Chapter 2
So I completely forgot about the intense, desperate way Sebastian had made love to me when he finally came home. Forgot how he’d pressed his forehead against mine, calling me heartless for leaving him alone and worried sick.
All I could remember was that he didn’t walk through our door until 3 AM. That faint scent of roses clinging to his clothes. And how that trending gossip story mysteriously vanished from all the major sites within thirty minutes of going viral.
Plus the phone call I wasn’t supposed to hear–him whispering to his assistant while he thought I was still asleep: “Make sure every single story gets scrubbed clean. Even one leak could hurt her.”
Her. Not us.
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