Chapter 19
The day before the wedding – Sinclair family’s private estate.
Scarlett sat at the vanity in the bridal suite, her fingertips brushing lightly over the glittering rhinestones on her wedding
dress.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, and outside, staff moved busily across the lawn, putting the final touches on tomorrow’s ceremony. It all looked… perfect.
A soft knock on the door.
“Scarlett?” Lancaster stepped in, carrying a cup of warm rose tea in one hand and a small velvet box in the other.
He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, top button undone, gold-rimmed glasses resting on his nose. His eyes were soft as
warm spring rain.
“You barely touched breakfast.” He placed the tea beside her, voice filled with quiet concern. “They said you only drank
half a glass of milk.”
Scarlett looked up at him, lips quirking. “Is Mr. Sinclair planning to personally scold me now?”
“Wouldn’t dare.” He leaned in and offered her the velvet box. “I just don’t want you going hungry.”
Inside the box were several delicately made chocolates.
“I heard you used to love this brand,” he said gently. “Had them flown in from Switzerland.”
Scarlett paused, surprised he’d even remember such a detail.
Before she could respond, the estate’s alarm system suddenly shrieked through the halls.
Lancaster’s expression darkened. He pressed a finger to his earpiece. “Report.”
A guard’s voice came through, urgent: “Sir, we’ve been breached. System’s down-security feed and access control are
offline.”
Lancaster turned to her immediately. “Stay here. Don’t move.”
He stormed out, barking orders into the corridor: “Lock down every exit!”
But before Scarlett could even register what was happening, the door to her suite creaked open.
A tall figure appeared in the doorway. Black coat, wind-chilled. Eyes burning with fury.
Sebastian Reed.
Scarlett jolted to her feet, the hem of her wedding gown sweeping across the vanity, knocking over a bottle of perfume.
The crash of glass was sharp in the silence.
“Sebastian?” Her voice trembled. “How did you even get in here?”
He didn’t answer. He just stared at her, jaw clenched, eyes storm-dark.
“Come with me,” he rasped.
Scarlett stepped back. “Are you insane? The wedding’s tomorrow!”
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“And?” he cut her off with a harsh laugh. “You’re really going to marry him?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“It is my business,” he growled, stepping closer. “It’ll always be my business.”
Scarlett’s pulse raced. She glanced at the door. Empty.
No guards. No Lancaster.
Sebastian caught her look and said flatly, “Don’t bother. He won’t make it in time.”
“What did you do to him?!”
“Relax. I didn’t lay a hand on him. Just kept him… occupied.”
Her grip tightened on her dress. “What the hell do you want?”
He stared at her for a long moment. Then, quietly: “Do you love him?”
She flinched.
“Not yet,” she admitted. “But I will try to.”
“Try?” Sebastian echoed bitterly, as if the word burned. His jaw locked. “Since when did you have to try to love someone,
Scarlett?”
“Because he’s worth it,” she said, meeting his eyes directly. “And just because I don’t love him yet doesn’t mean I’ll ever
come back to you.”
A flash of pain flickered in Sebastian’s eyes.
Without warning, he stepped forward and seized her wrist.
“Let go!” she struggled, but he overpowered her easily.
“Save your strength,” he muttered. With a swift motion, he pulled off his tie and used it to bind her wrists. “You’re going to
need it later.”
Before she could react, he lifted her into his arms and headed straight for the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Outside, a black helicopter hovered, blades slicing through the air like a war drum.
Scarlett’s eyes widened in horror. “Sebastian-this is kidnapping!”
“And?”
The corner of his mouth curled into a twisted smile. “From the moment I laid eyes on you, I should’ve just taken you.”
The wind roared. Her veil and gown whipped violently behind her like wings of fire.
She looked over her shoulder-just in time to see Lancaster in the distance, struggling against a wall of men in black.
He was shouting her name. But the wind swallowed everything.
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