Chapter 574

When it came to matters of the heart, Tamsin had always had a blind spot.

Put a man in front of her and something in her otherwise sharp judgment quietly switched off.

In the business world, she had a sharp eye, rarely losing money on her investments.

The year she graduated from college, she started a small company and made a fortune. If she hadn't crossed paths with the wrong man at the wrong time, she'd probably be running an empire by now.

With her ambitions laid bare, Tamsin had made her decision.

Victor's expression had gone tight. "So you heard that, right? This is your precious daughter. All the plans you made for her, was it just so she could fight me for my assets?"

He was on the verge of losing it.

He'd been relieved when Tamsin landed Sebastian. Comfortable future, secure life — what more could a father want? But the woman sitting across from him now wasn't looking for comfort. She was looking for a fight.

Kaida looked between Tamsin and Victor, clearly distressed. "Can you both just stop? Are you trying to drive me to my grave?"

"Mom." Tamsin's voice was quiet but firm. "I know you don't understand. But I've already decided, and I'm not changing my mind."

"Fine, then let's see who comes out on top. Don't forget, besides me, Dad has other sons. You really think you can outmaneuver all of them? Good luck."

Victor was utterly disappointed in Tamsin and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Kaida slumped to the ground, all the energy gone out of her. "Why? You're siblings. Why does it have to come to this?"

"Mom, you've got it backwards." Tamsin looked at her steadily. "I'm not the one who started this. If I'd kept backing down all these years, do you really think things would have stayed peaceful?"

She didn't have anything left to say after that. She was tired.

The inheritance wasn't just about money anymore. It was the thing she'd decided to fight for, and she wasn't letting go.

The sky grew darker as the sun set.

The room was pitch black.

Suddenly, Sebastian's muffled groan broke the silence. Holding the person in his arms, he spoke hoarsely, "Darling, I'll have someone handle the situation with the child tomorrow, okay?"

Reopening old wounds.

Christina looked at him without flinching. "You know there's no undoing it once it's done. If you hurt that child, Athena won't come back from it."

"Does that mean you've accepted it?" Sebastian closed his eyes, unable to bear hearing her voice, but continued, "I promise you, even if the child is born, I won't be involved. I'll provide for him, but I won't waste any time on him."

He was pulled in two directions and had been for a while. He didn't want the child. He also couldn't stand the thought of what losing it would do to Athena.

After all, in this world, he was alone, and Athena was the only family he had left.

They'd built everything together from nothing, and she had given up years of her own life — no husband, no children — because of him.

So, for that reason alone, Sebastian felt he had to keep the child, at least to give Athena a companion.

He wanted to explain all of it to Christina. But her face was so still, so composed, and he knew she didn't want to hear it.

After a long silence, Christina shifted, pulling back from him, damp and uncomfortable.. "You should get ready to go home. Estelle is waiting."

Sebastian glanced at the clock. Estelle had already been out of school for a while.

After getting dressed, Sebastian and Christina headed home.

As soon as they walked through the door, Estelle came running.

"Daddy, Mommy, look! This is my essay. The teacher said the best essays get a little reward. Take a look."

Estelle's handwriting was messy, but it still conveyed his pure thoughts.

The essay described a family of three: a beautiful mom, a handsome dad, and a cute child.

He'd written about the amusement park trip, every sentence buzzing with the kind of pure, uncomplicated joy that only children can put into words without making it sound small.

Christina's eyes welled up as she kissed Estelle's head. "Our little genius, keep studying hard and maybe you'll become a writer someday."

"I don't want to decide so soon. I want my life to have endless possibilities."

Influenced by the internet, Estelle's language was rich.

Christina laughed softly. "Fair enough. Endless possibilities it is. Now come on — homework."

She took his hand and they went upstairs.

Sebastian stayed behind, reading the essay over and over.

A family of three.

He could see it so clearly — what it might have looked like, if things had gone differently. If the child they lost had lived.

Tears slid down his face.

Regret was a useless thing. He knew that.

The child was gone, and that loss had carved something permanent between them, a gap neither of them knew how to close. You couldn't grieve your way back to where you'd been.

Sebastian took a deep breath and looked at the butler. "I got a notice from the school today. The students are taking turns hosting parties. Handle it. And keep an eye on our wedding arrangements, especially the decorations."

Though there was a rift between them, he was determined to mend it.

Starting now, from this moment on.

He decided to personally oversee the wedding preparations.

He went to the study and opened his laptop, only to be greeted by an anonymous email.

Seeing the photos and contents, his eyes turned icy, his expression darkening.

So, this is what Christina received earlier?

Why didn't she confront him?

Did she not trust him?

Seeing those things, had she already concluded he was a heartless man, unworthy of her trust, leading her to give up on him completely?

Sebastian's hand clenched into a fist under his sleeve, pounding the desk.

The butler, startled, asked, "What's wrong?"

Sebastian shook his head. "Nothing. I need to go out. Make sure no one leaves before I'm back. Especially Christina."

Leaving those words, he got in his car and drove off.

The engine cut through the quiet of the night. By the time Christina reached the window, the car was already gone — tail lights disappearing past the gate.

Why did Sebastian leave?

And at such speed?

Did something happen?

Christina felt uneasy. She stood to follow, but was stopped at the door.

The butler smiled. "Mr. Boleyn went out for some business. He said Mrs. Boleyn should stay home with the young master."

"So, you're saying I can't leave? You're confining me to the house?"

Christina's face turned cold as she stared at the butler.