Chapter 3
Raine pulled out her phone and scrolled through her photos until she found the faded picture.
In the photo, eighteen-year-old Raine stood on the college basketball court in a white dress. She was holding a bottle of water and her eyes crinkled with a bright smile.
Twenty-year-old Sebastian was in his basketball uniform. There was sweat glistening on his forehead as he looked at her with a gentle, affectionate smile.
That was the most beautiful time of her life.
Back then, Sebastian wasn't the cold, distant CEO he is now. He was the campus heartthrob, the star of the basketball court, and she was just a shy underclassman secretly crushing on him.
He'd step in to protect her whenever someone bullied her, bring her hot milk when she stayed up late sketching designs, and under the New Year's fireworks, he'd pat her head and promise to marry her once he graduated.
He really did promise to marry her.
But then Liliana showed up. She was his childhood friend, the one he'd grown up with. He always treated her with a special kind of patience.
Then came the car crash, and everything changed.
He decided Raine was the one who ruined Liliana, saw her as nothing but a scheming, heartless witch. All he had for Raine now was hate.
Raine stared at the photo, tears falling silently onto her phone screen, blurring the gentle expression in Sebastian's eyes.
Just then, her phone lit up with Sebastian's name.
Raine's heart skipped a beat. She wiped her tears, hesitated, then finally picked up.
On the other end, Sebastian's voice was cold, barely containing his anger. "Raine, are you crazy?"
Raine was stunned. "What?"
"Liliana was being nice. She sent you a message to wish you well, and you went off on her? She was so upset she ended up in the hospital!" Sebastian yelled.
His voice grew colder, laced with a deadly threat. "Do you really think I'll let you get away with this? Let me make it clear. Even if we're divorced, if you so much as lay a finger on Liliana, I'll make you pay."
Raine felt her heart drop.
She hadn't even gotten a message from Liliana, let alone cursed her out.
It's always like this.
Every single time Liliana felt wronged, Sebastian would instantly pin the blame on Raine, whether she was involved or not.
"I didn't," Raine said, her voice weary. "I didn't say anything to her. I never even got a message from her."
"Still trying to deny it?" Sebastian let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Liliana sent me the chat history herself. Raine, do you really think I'd fall for your lies?"
"Believe what you want," Raine replied, too tired to argue anymore.
She'd explained herself a thousand times in the past three years, but he never believed her.
"Fine. Have it your way," Sebastian's voice was icy enough to freeze.
He commanded coldly, "Get to Ostville General Hospital right now and get on your knees to apologize to Liliana. If you don't, I'll shut down your studio and make sure you're blacklisted from every corner of Ostville."
With that, he hung up, not giving Raine a chance to say a word.
Raine gripped her phone, her hand shaking nonstop. The pain in her stomach hit her again, so sharp her vision went dark and she almost passed out.
She knew Sebastian never bluffed. That studio was all she had left. It was her only anchor besides her feelings for him. If he really shut it down, she'd be left with nothing, not even a reason to keep going.
She clenched her teeth, forced herself up, grabbed her coat and bag, and left the apartment. She caught a cab and went straight to Ostville General Hospital.
Outside the VIP ward, Sebastian was standing in the hallway, dressed head-to-toe in black, an unapproachable vibe oozing off him.
When he saw Raine coming, his eyes went ice-cold, like he was staring at his worst enemy.
"You actually dared to show up," Sebastian snarled, stepping forward and grabbing Raine's wrist so hard it felt like he might break it. "Raine, are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Raine's wrist throbbed with pain, her face as pale as a sheet.
She gritted her teeth. "Sebastian, I told you, I didn't say anything to her. It wasn't me."
"Still stubborn, huh?" Sebastian sneered, yanking her toward the ward. "Get in there and get on your knees to apologize to Liliana."
Raine stumbled as he dragged her, the pain in her stomach twisting worse with every step.
She fought back, shouting, "Sebastian, let go of me! I didn't do anything wrong, and I'm not apologizing!"