Chapter 3

In a surge of rage, I overturned the table, sending everything crashing to the floor.

Wine bottles shattered at Vanessa's feet. She shrieked and dove into Sebastian's arms as the other guests scrambled for the exits, leaving the private room in chaos before it abruptly emptied, leaving only the three of us behind.

A sharp pain twisted through my lower abdomen. Sweat beaded along my forehead. The doctor had warned me to avoid emotional strain during recovery, but I could no longer hold anything back.

Sebastian glanced at the cut on Vanessa's foot, where blood seeped through the glass scratches, then turned to me and walked over.

"You don't have to accept her apology," he said coldly. "But hurting her crosses a line."

I swung my hand across his face, and he froze in stunned silence.

Vanessa immediately cupped his cheek, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. She glared at me, eyes blazing, yet didn't dare say a word.

"You've cursed me out and hit me," Sebastian said darkly. "That should be enough by now, shouldn't it?"

I doubled over, clutching my abdomen. The pain was worse than last time, radiating upward until even my chest ached.

Gritting my teeth, I forced out a single word. "Scram."

Vanessa spoke up right on cue, her eyes filling with tears. "Sebastian, my foot hurts so much."

He did not even glance at her. His voice softened instead. "Wendy, as long as you're willing to swallow your pride, I'll take you to the hospital."

I struggled to stay conscious as I pulled out my phone. "I can call 911 myself," I said hoarsely. "You can step aside."

Fury flashed across his face. He kicked a bowl that had rolled to his feet, sending it crashing into the wall where it shattered.

Vanessa let out a soft cry when he lifted her into his arms. As he turned to leave, she looked back over his shoulder and gave me a smug, triumphant glance.

At the doorway, Sebastian stopped and looked back. "You're too headstrong, Wendy," he said. "That's what I don't like."

"Like I care what you think," I muttered under my breath. Rage and dizziness washed over me, and the world went dark.

I woke up in the hospital. Adrian was sitting in a chair beside the bed, his head tipped back against the wall, eyes closed, as if he had dozed off there.

The moment I shifted, he stirred. He went to call the doctor, then stepped out to buy breakfast.

As I sipped the porridge, the realization finally sank in. "You stayed here all night?"

Adrian hesitated, his gaze flickering. "They have foldaway beds here for family members."

He paused, then added quickly, trying to sound casual, "It was convenient. No trouble at all."

"Thank you," I said, offering a small smile.

He visibly relaxed and went over my post-hospital care in careful detail. He made a point of reminding me to stay calm, then hesitated before bringing up yesterday. "What happened was dangerous," he said quietly. "You nearly went into shock."

I looked at him. "How do you know what happened yesterday?"

He cleared his throat, a little embarrassed. "I was planning to bring you a birthday gift, but you'd already been discharged, and I couldn't get in touch with you."

He hesitated, then admitted, "I got worried."

I fell silent.

"Next time your birthday comes around," he said carefully, "just make sure you're happy. That's what matters."

I nodded. "I'm never having a birthday like this again. Ever."

Adrian smiled, relief clear in his expression. "That's good to hear."

Later, Adrian offered to drive me home.

I agreed, though I couldn't stop thinking about why Sebastian had refused to work with him. "Adrian isn't a good guy. Stay away," his words echoed in my mind.

"So," I said lightly, "is this your sneaky way of memorizing my address?"

Adrian, in the middle of sipping his soup, suddenly started coughing. I patted his back until he caught his breath. "Relax, I was just joking," I said with a small grin.

He was sharp and calculating at work, not exactly what you'd call a good guy. Yet in some ways, his thoughts were unexpectedly easy to read.

After saying goodbye to Adrian, I walked up to my door and was just about to unlock it when it suddenly swung open. It was Sebastian.

"What are you doing here?" I blurted out, instinctively stepping back.

'Oh, right,' I thought. 'Sebastian knows the passcode to my apartment.'

Seeing me back away, Sebastian's face darkened. He crossed his arms, leaning casually against the door frame. "I've called you a hundred times, and you never picked up. Seriously, what's going on?"

I glanced at my phone and saw that it had long since run out of battery.

He reached for my wrist, brushing his fingers over the IV bandage I still hadn't removed. His voice softened. "Was it really that serious?"

I pulled my hand back and stepped inside, silently relieved that Vanessa hadn't come with him.

"You could've just come to the hospital yourself. Did you think I could magically return your calls?" I snapped, finally letting some of my frustration out.

The door clicked shut behind me, and before I could react, Sebastian wrapped his arms around me from behind. His icy presence pressed uncomfortably close.

Instinctively, I jabbed my elbow into his chin. He let out a muffled groan, released me, and stumbled back. "Wha—Wendy, are you out of your mind?"

I steadied myself, keeping a safe distance. "You've got a girlfriend now. Just leave me alone."

Sebastian rubbed his chin, then smirked, relief flickering in his eyes. "I knew it. That's why you've been hanging around Adrian Wright so much. You're really putting on a jealous little show."

A wave of helplessness hit me. Just because I once admitted I liked him, he thought he could behave however he wanted in front of me?