Divorced CEO's Forgotten Wife Strikes Back (Riley and Bryce) novel Chapter 119

**TITLE: Dreams Refuse Gravity by Leo Arden Knox**

**Chapter 119 I Believe You**

**Lucky Draw**

“What on earth are you doing out here, Sebastian?” Riley exclaimed, her voice a mixture of surprise and concern.

Sebastian slowly turned his head, his gaze locking onto hers. His lips, pale and almost colorless, parted slightly as he murmured, “You’re back.”

In that moment, Riley couldn’t help but notice how vulnerable he appeared. Normally, Sebastian exuded confidence—an untouchable aura that made him seem invincible. But now, he looked so fragile, as if he were made of glass, ready to shatter at any moment.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. Just that morning, during breakfast, he had been a different person entirely. What could have transpired in just a few short hours to alter him so profoundly?

“Yeah, I’m back,” Riley replied, stepping forward and lifting the umbrella high above them, its large black canopy providing a shield against the relentless rain.

“The rain’s getting heavier. Let’s go inside,” she urged, hoping to coax him away from whatever dark thoughts seemed to cloud his mind.

Sebastian, however, remained oblivious to her words, his attention fixated on the towering tree that loomed before them. “My mother loved this tree,” he said, his voice tinged with nostalgia. “She used to climb it all the time.”

“She did?” Riley asked, unable to hide her surprise. She had never heard him speak of his mother in such a personal way.

“She’d scale it just to gaze at the horizon,” he continued, bitterness creeping into his tone. “She was desperate to escape, but my father kept her imprisoned. She never found her way out.”

Riley fell silent, absorbing the weight of his words. The air between them felt thick with unspoken pain.

“Riley, I’m not like my dad, and I’ll never be like him,” he said, his voice low but firm, as if he were trying to convince himself as much as her.

“Yeah, I believe you,” Riley answered, her voice steady and reassuring.

Sebastian stiffened, suddenly turning to meet her gaze. “You do?”

“Sure, I do,” she replied, a hint of warmth in her smile.

A strange sensation began to swell in Sebastian’s chest—a flicker of hope. So many people had told him he was just like Gregory, his father, warning him that one day he would succumb to the same madness.

Yet here was Riley, looking at him with a belief that felt like a lifeline, seeing him as someone capable of forging his own destiny.

“Come on. You’re soaked. You’d better go take a bath right now, or you’ll catch a cold,” Riley urged, stepping forward. But she noticed Sebastian remained rooted to the spot, lost in thought.

Without a second thought, she reached out and grasped his hand, her fingers wrapping around his with a gentle yet firm tug, leading him toward the main house. The raindrops drummed rhythmically against the umbrella, creating a soothing melody that accompanied their steps.

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