Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 118

Chapter 118

55 vouchers

The curator paused mid-stroke of his grizzled goatee, shooting a cold glare. “What’s all the panic about?”

“Sir, the Clusia Traditional Medicine Association and the Dorestan Medical Alliance have already posted the Vitalis pill formula on their official websites!” The messenger gasped, having run all the way.

And then he continued, “They even included scans from ancient manuscripts to prove the pill originated in Clusia three thousand years ago!”

After a while, the curator spoke, “Interesting.” His expression was unreadable, and his eyes were clouded with darkness. “Forget about the heritage application.”

The once lively Herbal Medicine Heritage Center went dead quiet.

Everyone else clammed up, not daring to make a sound.

“International Herbal Medicine Conference, huh?” the curator snorted, “Can’t wait to see it.”

***

On Sandridge Island, Stella didn’t spare a glance at the manual as she assembled the drone piece by piece, her face totally unfazed.

Her loose T-shirt hung off one shoulder, showing off her flawless skin, while her messy hair was casually clipped back, making her delicate face look even smaller.

Sebastian couldn’t take his eyes off her face.

When another strand slipped down to block her cheek, he reached over without thinking and slowly tucked it behind her ear.

His cool fingers grazed the curve of her ear.

Stella’s hands froze for a moment.

Sebastian seemed to have switched to a new aftershave, a subtle, bitter scent, cool and strangely alluring. Stella kept her expression neutral. “It smells nice.”

Sebastian was silent for a few seconds. “It’s new aftershave.”

Stella just gave a quiet hum and didn’t pay him any more attention.

Sebastian withdrew his hand, his deep eyes calm and unfathomable, sending a text to John without a hint of emotion.

*****

John stared at Sebastian’s text, momentarily lost for words.

16:34 Sat, Jan 24

Chapter 118

Jake leaned over. “What are you looking at?”

John turned his phone away from Jake. “Nothing.”

‘It was just Mr. Gray telling me to buy some extra aftershave, just in case,’ he thought.

He asked how many.

Sebastian told him to buy as much as he could.

‘That’s it. No big deal.’ John thought and smiled.

EX 55 vouchers

An hour later, Lucas peeked in from the doorway, with Big Ben copying him right behind. Perched on its big, round head was Eggie, freshly woken up and chirping nonstop.

Hearing the commotion, Stella turned around and saw Sebastian curled up defensively on the couch, eyes shut, catching a quick nap.

“Shh,” Stella instinctively pressed a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture.

Lucas immediately clapped his chubby little hands over his mouth, his big, bright eyes blinking as he tiptoed in through the door. Snowball, lounging in the decorative tree, lazily lifted its head, rolled over, and went right back to sleep.

Stella leisurely tidied up her things, but her gaze lingered on Sebastian the whole time.

The shadows veiled Sebastian’s handsome features, but he still had that cold, detached look about him. His long, thick lashes drooped, casting shadows across his face, and his whole vibe just screamed maturity.

Lucas crouched by the couch, resting his chin in his hands, gazing at Sebastian with an adorably grumpy, slightly annoyed look.

‘That was supposed to be my spot!’ he thought, pouting and pulling a silly face.

Stella’s phone lit up. With her back to Sebastian and Lucas, she shot them a glance over her shoulder.

Behind her, Sebastian, who’d just had his eyes closed a second ago, opened them and shot Lucas a chilly, deadpan look, catching him right in the middle of that silly face.

Lucas lowered his head in guilt.

Eggie flapped its wings, dove into Sebastian’s front pocket, and then popped its fluffy little head out, chirping

away.

Stella turned around and saw the amusing scene. Stella said, “Blake wants to take us out for dinner.”

Sebastian snorted, “I’m not going.”

“Alright,” Stella said, phone in one hand, her tone indifferent. “I’ll just go on my own.”

Sebastian was speechless.

16:34 Sat, Jan 24 ..

Chapter 118

65 vouchers

Lucas’s face went all pouty, his eyes looking super pitiful. He scampered over and grabbed Stella’s loose lounge pants with his hands, giving them a little shake.

Stella paused for a moment and then said, “Alright, you’re coming too.”

Lucas’s eyes sparkled, and he started nodding so fast that it looked like his head was on a spring.

Sebastian shook his head.

“You…” Sebastian’s cold voice came from behind Stella just as her fingertips hovered over her phone, ready to reply. She turned to look at him.

“Say that again,” Sebastian said, his voice icy.

Stella arched an eyebrow, thinking her ears must’ve been playing tricks on her, and locked eyes with him, his expression cool and collected.

“Hey!” Lucas shot his hand up, waving in protest.

“Mr. Gray, what did you just say?” Stella piped up, looking confused.

Sebastian said, “Ask me one more time.” This time, his words were sharp and unmistakable, his voice dropping to an even colder, lower pitch.

Everyone went quiet for a moment.

Stella gave a little laugh and looked away, and even her usual chill vibe couldn’t hide the smile creeping onto her face.

Sebastian urged, “Hurry up. Ask.”

Stella flashed a smile and teased, “Blake’s inviting us to dinner. Are you coming or not?”

After a while, Sebastian spoke up, his voice calm and magnetic, “I’ll go.”

**

At the pool hall, a bunch of Haliville Chads were messing around together.

“Mr. Pierce, is it true that Ion Wing Drones, that total money pit, is finally getting spun off from the Pierce Group?”

The rumor was all over the scene, and everyone figured the Pierces had finally wised up. “So, who do you think the new CEO’s gonna be?”

Blake, soon-to-be CEO, felt completely insane and said, “No way it’s me.”

“That money pit? Whoever gets stuck with it is totally screwed!”

“But I heard the Pierce Group gutted the core team from lon Wing Drones before spinning it off.”

16:34 Sat, Jan 24 J

Chapter 118

E55 vouchers

Blake thought, ‘Where the heck are you all getting this stuff? Even as a Pierce, I don’t know this much!’

Blake was totally huddled up in the corner, unusually quiet tonight. But when his phone lit up with a reply, he literally shot up like a spring.

‘I gotta tell Stella tonight. I’m really not cut out for this!’ he thought.

“I’m heading out,” Blake said, snatching up his black leather jacket and car key and heading straight for the door. He’d called in every favor he could to get a private room at that impossible-to-book restaurant tonight. No way was he showing up late!

On his way there, Blake quickly texted Stella the restaurant address.

Just as Blake was mentally rehearsing how he’d finally work up the guts to say no to Stella, he walked into the restaurant and froze on the spot.

‘Seriously? After all that trouble booking the private room, someone else snatched it right out from under me?’ Blake thought.

Blake’s temper flared. “Who the hell took it?” He shoved past the waiter and stormed straight for the private

room.

The moment he pushed the door open, he saw his cousin Xander sitting there with a bunch of Pierce Group board members, raising their glasses and chatting away.

Everyone froze the second Blake barged in.

“Blake.” Xander stood up, cool and confident, and came over to greet Blake, a glass of red wine in hand, his whole vibe refined and classy.

Blake’s eyes followed Xander’s gesture to the wine cabinet.

It was the bottle of Romanée-Conti he’d set aside here earlier, and it was already opened and being poured

out.

“I had some urgent business to discuss with a few board members, so we used your private room. Hope you don’t mind. You’re not gonna get upset over something so trivial, right?” Xander said, all polite on the surface.

Blake was frozen.

“You and your loser buddies hogging a private room like this and guzzling top-shelf wine? What a waste. Seriously, Blake, do you even deserve it?” Xander mocked.

Xander lifted his glass and, with deliberate flair, slowly poured his red wine down over Blake’s head, letting it trickle all the way from his hair to his collar.

16:34 Sat, Jan 24