Chapter 32
Cecilia’s pov
A strong arm shot out, catching Amara mid-fall before she could land across Sebastian’s lap.
“Amara p>
His voice was low, sharp as broken glass.
“I know you’re not drunk. Enough of this charade p>
The air in the car shifted—tightened.
Amara blinked once, then slowly straightened. Her eyes were clear. She looked at him, not with shame, but with something softer. Wounded. Calculated.
“Does it really have to be this way?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I should be asking you that,” he said, his tone glacial. “Sit properly. Or get out p>
The temperature in the car seemed to drop several degrees. The silence that followed was absolute. Even the driver had turned to stone, hands clenched on the wheel, eyes fixed forward in a desperate attempt to disappear.
From my seat, I could feel it too—This wasn’t mere irritation. It was cold, controlled fury
I kept my eyes forward, spine straight, breathing shallow—every instinct telling me to stay very, very still.
Amara’s eyes were wide and defiant, glistening with unshed tears as she struggled to maintain her composure.
“Stop the car!” she suddenly shouted.
The driver didn’t react. Of course not—he only took orders from Sebastian.
Fearing she might try something drastic, I quickly pressed the child lock button near my seat. “Lock the doors,” I whispered urgently to the driver.
Sure enough, the next moment Amara lunged for the door handle, yanking it frantically. Thank Luna I’d thought ahead.
What shocked me was Sebastian’s complete lack of reaction. He didn’t even blink as she tried to throw herself from a moving vehicle. His expression remained coldly indifferent—a look that said: if you want to hurt yourself, I won’t stop you.
“You hate me that much Amara’s voice cracked as she finally broke down.
She pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face between them. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs that filled the car.
My heart clenched despite myself. Whatever had happened between them, this raw pain was something I understood all too well. Memories of Xavier and Cici flashed through my mind. I sighed quietly and reached for the tissue box, discreetly extending my hand toward the back seat p>
“Cecilia.” Sebastian’s sharp voice made me freeze. His dark eyes met mine in the mirror, his expression unreadable but clearly displeased.
I pressed my lips together and slowly withdrew my hand. Men. They were all the same—whether human or wolf. Either cheating within relationships or coldly discarding feelings that no longer served them.
Sebastian caught my disapproving expression, and something like dark amusement flickered across his features.
When we arrived at the hotel, Sebastian exited the vehicle without a backward glance and strode toward the entrance.
Seriously? He’d told me to be responsible for Amara, and now he was just… walking away?
I turned toward the woman still sitting rigidly in the back seat. “Ms. Amara, let me get you a room p>
She remained motionless, her eyes downcast, an aura of frost surrounding her. After what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke, her voice distant and hollow.
“Don’t bother with another room. I’ll stay in yours p>
“That’s fine,” I agreed readily. The suite had an extra bed anyway.
We walked into the hotel together. I couldn’t help noticing that the woman who had seemed hopelessly intoxicated earlier now moved with perfect steadiness.
So it had been an act after all… I suppressed a sigh.
Once inside the suite, Amara announced she wanted a bath.
“You shouldn’t.” My voice was calm but firm, the tone of someone who’d been given a task by someone they couldn’t afford to disappoint.
“You’ve had alcohol. It’s dangerous p>
She didn’t answer—didn’t even glance at me—just stalked toward the bathroom, silk hem whispering against the floor.
I moved to block her path.
“If something happens to you, how exactly do you expect me to explain it to Alpha Sebastian?” I let the words hang in the air, cold and sharp.
“You know better than this. Bathing after drinking isn’t indulgent—it’s reckless.” Her eyes flickered. The confidence faltered.
And for just a moment, she looked less like a poised beauty and more like someone teetering on the edge of something she couldn’t control.
I seized the moment, guiding her—gently but without room for debate—back toward the sofa.
She allowed it, too stunned or too exhausted to resist.
I picked up the phone and requested honey water from the hotel staff, keeping my tone clipped, professional.
The moment I ended the call, my phone vibrated in my hand.I only had two numbers saved in my new phone—Sebastian’s and Sawyer’s.
Seeing it was Sebastian, I glanced nervously at Amara on the couch. Perhaps he’d calmed down and was checking on her? I answered quickly, “Hello p>
“Come to my room.” His voice was deep and commanding, just four simple words.
I froze for a second before responding, “Right away p>
Ending the call, I turned to Amara. “Alpha Sebastian wants to see me. Please wait here—I’ll be back soon p>
Amara slowly raised her head from where it had been resting against a cushion. Those cold, sharp eyes examined me from head to toe, and suddenly her expression changed. A bitter, knowing smile curved her lips.
“Go ahead,” she said softly.
I stood there awkwardly. What was that look supposed to mean?
I opened my mouth to explain, but then realized any explanation would only sound defensive. This wasn’t worth getting worked up over.
Fine. Let her think what she wanted. The truth would become clear eventually.
I turned and left.
Standing outside Sebastian’s suite, I pulled out the keycard he’d given me earlier. For convenience, both Beta Sawyer and I had access to his room so we could respond immediately when needed.
It had seemed perfectly normal before, but after Amara’s suggestive look… it suddenly felt uncomfortably intimate.
I entered the room to find Sebastian standing by the window, unfastening his watch.
A man removing accessories in a hotel room p>
My mind betrayed me with a ridiculous soap opera scenario: two people locked in a love-hate relationship, the man deliberately getting close to his secretary to make his ex jealous, to break her down p>
“A-Alpha Sebastian, are you—” I stammered.
I’m hungry,” he said, his dark eyes locking on mine, voice low and rough around the edges.
I froze.
For a split second, my brain short-circuited—
Did he mean… that kind of hungry?
I took a step back, heart stuttering.
He blinked, then sighed. “I meant food. As in—actual food p>
“Oh!” I laughed, probably too loudly. “Right. Of course. You meant food. Like… sandwiches. Not… other things p>
His brow lifted. Mine burned.
And then…The awkward silence that followed was so thick you could have cut it with a knife.
I wanted to bite my tongue off. Clearing my throat, I hurried toward the phone, attempting to recover my professionalism. “What would you like to eat, Alpha Sebastian p>
Sebastian expressionlessly put his watch back on. “Anything p>
The most difficult request for food in the world was “anything”! Because it actually made me feel that ’any food’ is not allowed
I mentally rolled my eyes while keeping my voice gentle and patient as I ordered from room service. Not knowing his preferences, I selected a variety of dishes.
After hanging up, I turned back to see he had refastened his watch. So he hadn’t been… but why mention that p>
“Cecilia, you should know that your current duties were previously handled by Sawyer,” Sebastian informed me coolly, clearly trying to dispel whatever inappropriate thoughts he’d read on my face.
My mind was still playing catch-up, so his words hit me at an odd angle. Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “Beta Sawyer had to do THAT too p>
Sebastian stared at me for a long, excruciating moment. “Get out,” he finally said, waving his hand dismissively.
I practically fled the room.
Author’s pov
After walking a short distance down the corridor, Cecilia came to an abrupt stop and—quite deliberately—pressed her forehead against the wall. Once. Twice. Then again.
Beta Sawyer turned the corner just in time to catch the peculiar sight. He paused, clearly torn between intervening and pretending he hadn’t seen it. But before he could decide, his phone buzzed.
With one last bewildered glance at Cecilia, Beta Sawyer turned and made his way to the Alpha’s suite.
Inside, Sebastian stood near the window, arms folded, jaw tense. He didn’t look up as Beta Sawyer entered.
“Cecilia,” Beta Sawyer began, tone somewhere between concern and confusion. “Has she been drinking too? Because she’s currently out in the hallway… banging her head against the wall p>
Sebastian exhaled slowly and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Report,” he said instead. Beta Sawyer launched into a summary of tomorrow’s schedule. A knock interrupted them—room service.
As the food was laid out, Sebastian gestured wordlessly for Beta Sawyer to sit. The Beta Sawyer obeyed, grateful; his stomach had already betrayed him with a loud growl.
They ate in relative silence. After dabbing his mouth with a napkin, Sebastian spoke—casual, but not without purpose.
“Cecilia was performing well at the card table. Why did you take over p>
Beta Sawyer grinned. “She got a little… carried away. At first I was nervous, but she was holding her own—until she nearly went all-in on a trash hand. I almost had a heart attack. Had to drag her away before she bankrupted us both. She thinks she’s some kind of high-stakes savant p>
Sebastian’s hand paused on the stem of his glass. The corner of his mouth didn’t move, but his gaze sharpened—still, cold. Calculating.
“She left the card room?” he asked, voice low.
“Yeah, I asked her to see if you need help,but she’ll be back in a minute” Beta Sawyer replied, missing the shift in the Alpha’s tone completely.
A flicker of something dangerous passed through Sebastian’s eyes—quick and quiet, like the flash of teeth in the dark.
His fingers tightened, barely perceptible.
So she had seen them on the deck.