Chapter 95
Though Chris's feelings for Scarlett weren't romantic—merely admiration and respect, watching Sebastian kiss Scarlett still made him uncomfortable.
He pressed his lips together and looked away.
It had been a long time since Scarlett had mentioned anything about Sebastian to him. He'd thought she had sorted everything out, but clearly, nothing had been resolved at all.
Being kissed in front of Chris made Scarlett equally uncomfortable. She struggled to break free, her earlobes flushing bright red.
"Is your relationship with her closer than ours?" Sebastian was still fixated on Chris's earlier claim.
Chris couldn't possibly agree. He could only watch through gritted teeth as Sebastian led Scarlett away.
Scarlett had expected to be taken to Windchime Villa or one of Sebastian's other properties. Instead, the Bentley drove east, eventually pulling into the garage of an impressive garden estate.
The building wasn't unfamiliar to Scarlett—or to anyone in Sovereign City, for that matter. This was the Howard Manor.
Scarlett hadn't anticipated coming here. She hesitated for a long while before finally stepping out of the car.
Sebastian walked in front, with Scarlett following and Mark bringing up the rear.
As they crossed the gardens and reached the corridor leading to the main hall, they encountered the manor's butler.
He seemed to have been expecting Scarlett's arrival. After greeting Sebastian, he turned to her with a polite, if not particularly deferential, attitude. "Ms. Seymour."
Scarlett nodded lightly. "Hello."
"Where's Grandfather?" Sebastian asked.
"Mr. George Howard is in the study."
When they reached the study, Sebastian knocked and entered.
Scarlett hesitated until she noticed Sebastian holding the door open, his gaze fixed on her, making it clear she was expected to follow.
George sat in an antique wooden chair in the eastern corner of the study, holding a dark, old-fashioned pipe with a silver mouthpiece lightly clenched between his lips. He lifted his eyelids briefly to look at them before closing them again.
"You're here."
Though Scarlett's first impression of George hadn't been positive when she'd last seen him, she still addressed him respectfully. "Mr. George Howard."
Hearing Scarlett's greeting, George slightly raised his eyelids again, glancing at her standing behind his grandson. He nodded. "Sit."
Sebastian had already taken a seat. Scarlett looked around uncertainly before finally sitting at the far end of the sofa.
"From now on, you'll live here. All expenses will be taken care of. Henceforth, you'll be considered a lady of the Howard family."
She had barely settled onto the edge of the sofa when she heard these words. Had she not already been seated, she might have fallen to the floor in shock.
"What?" Scarlett couldn't help her exclamation. She immediately looked at Sebastian, whose expression remained calm, as if he'd expected this outcome all along.
Seeing Scarlett's surprise, George raised an eyebrow. "I see you're not aware of what's happened."
Scarlett glanced around, wanting to ask but unsure whom to address.
George showed no intention of explaining. He waved his hand dismissively. "That's enough. Go get your things in order."
Only George would dare dismiss someone after such a brief encounter.
Scarlett quickly left the study. In the side hall, she spotted Mark, who approached her.
"Ms. Seymour, please follow me."
The Howard Manor was vast. After leaving the main building, they got into another car and drove for about thirty minutes before stopping.
Scarlett stepped out and looked at the standalone building before her, guessing this would be her new residence. But she was still confused.
"Mr. Rogers, what exactly is going on?"
To understand, one would need to start with the phone call Sebastian received last night.
---
Edith never imagined that a mere eighty million dollars would drive her father to the desperate act of embezzling company funds.
Even more shocking was how quickly it all unraveled. The money had been moved in the afternoon, and by evening, authorities were at their door.
Shawn led the operation, accompanied by several subordinates and armed police.
A formidable group entered the Seymour Villa as David shouted, "What do you think you're doing?"
Armed officers had completely surrounded the estate. At that moment, only the second and third branches of the family were present at the villa.
Shawn was the last to appear. When David saw him, he managed a nervous smile. "Mr. Wright, why have you come personally? Isn't there some misunderstanding?"
As he asked, David felt a tightening in his chest. He couldn't believe that something arranged just hours ago could be exposed so quickly, which gave him a false sense of confidence.
However, if David had confidence, Shawn had even more.
He continued smiling gently as he opened his briefcase and removed some documents. "I'm sorry, Mr. Seymour, but these are orders from above. Eighty million dollars—surely you haven't forgotten?"
David's face instantly turned pale.
"Search the premises," Shawn ordered calmly, putting away the documents.
The officers immediately sprang into action, causing the women to scream in fear.
The moment Edith heard "eighty million dollars," she understood exactly what had happened. Terrified, she immediately called Sebastian.
"Seb, a group of people just showed up at my house, claiming my father embezzled funds!" She only told him half the story.
Sebastian arrived after everything had settled. By then, David had already been loaded into a police car.
The third branch of the Seymour family protested that they had no direct involvement, but such claims would have to wait for the investigation's conclusion.
Sebastian lit a cigarette as he approached. Just then, Edith was being escorted out by officers. When she spotted Sebastian, her eyes brightened, and she tried to rush toward him. "Seb!"
But her strength was no match for the officers, who restrained her without much effort.
"Do you wish to speak with his fiancée, Mr. Howard?" Shawn asked, standing casually beside a car.
Sebastian glanced at him. "No, I'm here to deliver something."
This response surprised everyone. Edith was on the verge of tears. "Seb, we're innocent! My father didn't embezzle anything, he really didn't!"
But her pleas couldn't serve as evidence. The officers quickly put her in a car. As a direct family member, Edith was naturally within the scope of the investigation.
As the vehicle carrying Edith drove away, Sebastian extinguished his cigarette and raised his hand. Mark immediately handed Shawn a document.
Shawn frowned, took it, and pulled it out to look. His expression became meaningful. "This is about your fiancee and your future in laws. Don't you think it's a bit cruel?"
Sebastian brushed off his sleeve. "Hardly. This is a gift, Mr. Wright. If you don't want it, I'm sure someone else does."
"Well, thank you then, Mr. Howard." Shawn hadn't refused at all. Smiling, he tucked away the document and shook Sebastian's hand.
The previously chaotic Seymour Villa suddenly fell silent. The servants who remained barely dared to breathe, hiding in their quarters and praying for this nightmare to end quickly.
"The woman called Scarlett Seymour isn't here," an officer reported.
At the mention of this name, Sebastian paused as he was about to leave. He looked at Shawn, who returned his gaze. Their eyes met in silent understanding.
"We'll wait until tomorrow," Shawn said, opening his car door.