Chapter 91

The Beauchamp and Monica from the next table paid their bill and left quickly.

As they walked out, Beauchamp's face was stormy, while Monica followed meekly behind him, not even daring to lift her head.

That five-figure Australian abalone dish in front of me sat untouched.

My mind was a mess, completely consumed by that kiss from moments ago.

I sneaked a glance upward, stealing a quick peek at Sebastian.

He'd already reverted to that composed, serene demeanor of his, methodically cutting the food on his plate with movements so elegant they resembled some sacred ritual.

As if the man who'd just pulled me into his arms and kissed me breathless wasn't him at all.

But his slightly flushed ear tips and the way he grabbed the glass of water on the table and drained it in one go gave him away.

Condensation droplets slid down his long, defined fingers from the glass.

When he tilted his head back, the movement of his Adam's apple was devastatingly attractive.

Watching him, I suddenly understood.

I wasn't the only one whose composure had shattered.

This realization transformed the panic in my chest into something secret and sweet—a quiet thrill.

After dinner, on the drive home, the atmosphere in the car felt... delicate.

Several times, I wanted to say something to break the silence, but I couldn't figure out where to start.

As we neared home, Sebastian's phone rang.

He put in his Bluetooth earpiece and answered.

"Alright."

"Got it."

"Proceed as planned."

His responses were characteristically brief, revealing nothing about the content, but the aura around him turned cold.

After he hung up, the temperature in the car seemed to drop several degrees.

I couldn't help asking, "Did something happen at the company?"

His eyes stayed on the road ahead, his knuckles whitening slightly around the steering wheel. "The Jennings Group's stock hit its limit down."

I froze.

Sebastian said evenly, "Their capital chain broke. The banks are demanding repayment, and all their ongoing projects have ground to a halt. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter."

He spoke with casual indifference, but his words sent chills down my spine.

I knew better than anyone how deep the Jennings Group's foundations ran.

In my previous life, it had taken Beauchamp several more years to truly establish it as an industry leader.

But Sebastian had driven it to the edge of a cliff in just a few short days.

This was his true power.

The car stopped in front of the villa.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and was about to get out when he suddenly spoke. "Sophia."

I turned back to meet his penetrating gaze.

In the dim light of the car interior, his eyes were dark and inscrutable, hiding turbulent undercurrents. "What Beauchamp said—don't take it to heart."

My chest tightened. "I didn't..."

Before I could finish, he leaned toward me.

Instinctively, I pressed back against the car door.

He didn't kiss me this time.

Instead, he raised his hand and gently touched my lips with his warm fingertips.

The place he'd kissed earlier.

The gesture was tender, yet carried intense implications of possession.

I practically fled from the car.

The night breeze was cool against my burning cheeks, but it couldn't dispel the heat simmering inside me.

Sebastian and I walked side by side toward the villa. The streetlights stretched our shadows long, overlapping until we couldn't be distinguished from each other.

Neither of us spoke, yet the air thrummed with an indescribable intimacy.

Near the entrance, he suddenly reached out and took my hand.

His palm was broad, dry and warm, wrapping around my cool fingers with undeniable intent.

My heartbeat skipped.

"Earlier at the restaurant..." I gathered my courage and looked at him. "That Beauchamp—he speaks without thinking. Don't..."

I wanted to explain, to tell him that the Sophia who'd picked out clothes for Beauchamp was dead.

The one standing here now was someone new, someone who was only his business partner.

But when the words reached my lips, they felt hollow and powerless.

So I changed tactics, my tone carrying a protectiveness I didn't even realize was there. "He's just jealous of you. Jealous that you look a hundred times better in that shirt than he ever could. Don't stoop to his level—he's just a pathetic clown, and you're..."

"You're the hero who saved me."

The moment those words left my mouth, I froze, my cheeks burning even hotter.

Sebastian stopped walking, cutting off whatever I was about to say next. "That's not the explanation I want."

He looked at me, the streetlight casting shadows in his deep eyes that I couldn't quite read.

I felt confused. "Then what?"

His gaze slowly traveled downward, landing on my bare wrist.

My heart sank as I instantly understood.

The bracelet.

The one he'd given me—supposedly some renowned designer's final masterpiece, one of a kind.

"It's too... too expensive," I explained in a small voice, guilt creeping in. "I'm afraid I'll accidentally damage it or lose it."

He said nothing, just kept watching me.

Under his stare, my scalp prickled. I felt like an elementary school student caught red-handed by her teacher.

After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice betraying nothing.

"So you plan to shrine it?"

"I..."