Chapter 14
“You… you don’t love me?” Lily’s voice shot up, her face draining of all color. “That’s impossible. You-You clearly..,”
“I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression,” Sebastian said, his voice calm to the point of cruelty. “Back then, too many people were chasing me. I needed a shield.”
A shield?
The word hit her like a slap.
Sebastian continued, tone steady, detached. “As compensation, I made regular deposits into your account. I assumed you
understood this was a transaction.”
“You took a hit for me in that accident and suffered long-term damage, so I tried to be considerate over the years.” His
eyes settled on her pale, stunned face. “But that’s all it ever was.”
A gasp rippled through the ballroom.
The admiring glances turned to murmurs of pity, then ridicule.
“She really thought someone like Mr. Reed would fall for her…”
“God, she always acted like they were a couple. How embarrassing.”
“Mr. Reed’s known for being untouchable. Didn’t he kick that A-list actress out when she tried to seduce him? Who does
she think she is?”
“I heard her mom was a mistress who clawed her way in. Figures the daughter’s a social climber too.”
Each word landed like a knife, slicing Lily open in front of the crowd.
She’d planned this confession for months. Invited every socialite, every power couple-All so she could walk out of here
as Mrs. Reed.
But now…
She was trembling, fingernails digging into her palms so hard they nearly bled.
If Sebastian didn’t love her… Then who?
A horrifying thought crept into her mind. Could it be…Scarlett?
The mere thought threatened to unravel her completely.
She shook her head fiercely, refusing to believe it.
But Shi Yanging was already turning away.
“Sebastian!” she cried, lunging forward to grab his sleeve, the last of her pride hanging by a thread. “All these years… not
even once? Not even a moment of affection for me?”
“No,” he said coldly, pulling his hand away. “Not even once.”
The words hit harder than a slap.
Lily collapsed to the floor, her carefully styled hair tumbling loose, her makeup smeared with tears.
Chapter 14
15.05%
Sebastian didn’t look back.
He strode out of the ballroom, toward the waiting Rolls-Royce.
His assistant had everything ready as instructed.
“Everything’s here, Mr. Reed.” He handed over the gift boxes. “The sapphire brooch you ordered, and a Napoleon cake from Miss Shaw’s favorite bakery.”
Sebastian pulled out his phone and typed a message:
[Come to the Lakeside Villa. I have something for you.]
No reply.
He dialed her number. Still off.
His frown deepened. Another message:
[Still mad?]
[Sending you to lock-up was because you were out of control, and I had to give Lily some kind of explanation.]
[But I handled everything. You came out without a scratch.]
[You faked those injuries afterward, fainted at the hospital to guilt-trip me. And sure, I played along.]
His fingers paused, then continued:
[As for the necklace-I didn’t lend you the money because you got it wrong. That one wasn’t your mom’s. Just the same model. The real one was in Sweden.]
[I’ve already bought the real one.]
Message after message disappeared into the void.
He exhaled and rubbed his temple, adding:
[You burned down one house. Still not satisfied? Want to burn another?[
He stared at the screen. No reply. No read receipt. Nothing.
His patience finally snapped. He called Charles. “Is Scarlett home? Put her on the phone.”
Charles sounded surprised. “Sebastian? You didn’t know? She’s already married off. I sent her to Westbridge.”
