after all, she’s the one you love, right?”
The words left my mouth before I could stop them. They tasted bitter and hollow, like something I’d buried long ago and was now choking on.
Sebastian stared at me, stunned. “No,” he finally said. “Ellie, that’s not true.”
I looked away, forcing a laugh that barely made it past my throat. “You don’t have to lie. I heard them talking–your staff. About Elise About how she left you. About how much you loved her. About how I’m just a placeholder”
His face twisted “What?”
“They said it clearly. I heard it all. They called me a rebound. Said our names even sound alike. Like you just needed someone to fill the space until Elise came back.” I shrugged, trying to sound indifferent, but my voice betrayed me. “And then… she was in your office that day. The day of the fire.”
Sebastian took a step closer. “Is that why you were hiding in the restroom all day? Did you cry?”
I didn’t answer. My silence was enough.
He exhaled sharply, hurt swimming in his eyes. “Ellie… I looked for you. I was going to tell you everything that day. Everything.”
“I don’t need to hear it,” I whispered, my heart hammering. “It’s okay. I’m used to hurting. Really. Let’s just… end this.”
“No.” His voice was firm, almost desperate. “Don’t say that. Please. Just listen to me.”
I turned to him, hesitating.
“I was going to confess,” he said. “Not some scripted act. Not for the sake of the contract. I was going to tell you how I felt. Ellie… I love you.”
My breath caught.
“I’ve loved you for longer than I even understood. The first time I saw you… it was at the gala. You were beside Colton, and you looked so… sad. I didn’t know your name then, but I remembered your eyes.
He looked down, then back at me, voice softer. “When I found out who you were, I stayed away. I didn’t want to cross any lines. But then I saw you again–at the hospital, with your brother–and I couldn’t stop myself. I thought… maybe fate was giving me another chance.” My eyes stung. “Sebastian…”
“I didn’t know how to say it. So I said we should fake it, because it was easier than admitting I was falling in love again.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know how to process this. I really don’t. I’ve been betrayed before, Sebastian. Colton broke something in me. And I’m still trying to put the pieces back together. What if I’m wrong again?”
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You’re not newhispered. But I get it. You dont have to believe me now. Just… He took a
shaky breath. “Let’s keep the act going for now. Until the contract ends. And during that time, I’ll prove to you it can be real. That I can be real.”
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. The war inside me was too loud. But I didn’t say no either.
For the next few days, I stayed in the hospital, recovering slowly. My body was healing, but my heart… it
wounded thinained something else entirely–fragile, folded tightly into itself like a
afraid of more pain.
Sebastian never left.
Every morning, before the sun even had the chance to peek through the blinds, he was there–fresh coffee in one hand, soup in the other.
“Try the tomato basil today,” he said one morning, placing the steaming bowl on the side table. “You liked it last week. I think. Unless you were just being polite.”
“I don’t remember,” I muttered, avoiding his eyes. “You didn’t have to bring anything.”
He just smiled, folding the blanket over my feet. “I know I didn’t have to. I wanted to.”
He adjusted my pillows with gentle fingers, careful not to press too hard against the bandaged side of my arm. When I shifted uncomfortably, he paused.
“Tell me if it hurts,” he said, eyes searching mine. “I’ll stop.”
“It’s fine,” I whispered. “You don’t have to keep doing this.”
“Ellie,” he said softly, “just let me take care of you. That’s all I want right now.”
Still, I stayed guarded. I avoided his gaze when I could, turned away when he spoke gently, kept our conversations clipped and polite.
But he never stopped.
At night, when sleep became a stranger, I’d find him sitting in that worn visitor’s chair, legs crossed, reading aloud from whatever book he picked up that day.
“Chapter four,” he announced once, flipping the page. “The heroine just found out her ex is engaged to her sister. It’s drama with a capital D.”
I gave him a look.
“What?” he grinned. “This is quality literature. Besides, I figured it would distract you.” He was right. It did.
One night, I pretended to be asleep just to see if he’d finally go home. I cracked one eye open after a long silence.
There he was.
Still. Silent. One hand resting near mine on the blanket, his head leaning against the wall, humming something soft under his breath–barely a tune, but enough to lull me into a strange kind of peace.
I hated how safe it made me feel.
I hated how he noticed when I winced, how he stood up immediately to fetch the nurse
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My Husband Believed 1 Kidnapped His Mistress
humming something soft under his breath–barely a tune, but enough to lull me into a strange kind of peace.
I hated how safe it made me feel.
I hated how he noticed when I winced, how he stood up immediately to fetch the nurse
when my monitors beeped too fast. I hated the quiet care in his actions, the way he never asked for anything in return.
Once, as he was brushing my hair–softly, carefully, the way you would a porcelain doll–l finally asked, “Why are you still here?”
His hand paused. “Because I want to be. Even if you won’t let me in….
yet.”
I said nothing. But a part of me–the part I buried deep–wished I could believe him.
And that was the most terrifying part.
Because despite everything…
Maybe.
Just maybe…
I wanted to try.
