Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Sebastian’s gaze was deep and thoughtful. In his memories, Lucas had always seemed detached, like a little automaton.

Lucas refused to speak, and if he got mad, he’d go on a rampage smashing stuff everywhere, shutting out the world entirely. The diagnosis was a combination of autism and depression.

Now, Lucas giggled when he saw Sebastian come out, and then patted the black bed with his hand, beckoning him over.

Sebastian stood there in a black bathrobe, his expression unreadable, his presence formidable. But to Stella, he was a bit different now.

Fresh from the shower with his damp hair falling over his eyes, be seemed younger somehow, despite the brooding aura that clung to him.

When Sebastian didn’t move, Lucas patted the bed again, harder than before. A ragged huh-uh came out of his mouth, seeming to say, “Hurry up.”

Sebastian, with rare patience, indulged him and sat down beside Lucas.

[Stella, can you help Uncle Sebastian and me?] Lucas held up his tablet, looking all cute and hopeful.

Stella just stared, lost for words.

Help? With what?’ Stella wondered, instinctively glancing at Sebastian, hoping he’d clear things up.

“Blow-dry our hair,” Sebastian said, his voice as cool and level as ever.

Lucas nodded vigorously, his big, hopeful eyes fixed on Stella.

The two of them just sat there on the black bed, staring at her. Stella thought to herself, ‘What am I supposed to do with these two?’

Soon, the hum of a hairdryer filled the room. Stella had rolled the sleeves of her loose white shirt up to her elbows, revealing slender, flawless arms.

Her graceful fingers moved through Sebastian’s hair as he sat quietly with his head bowed, looking nothing like the cold, fearsome tyrant he usually was.

Meanwhile, Lucas, already dry, was trying to balance the little yellow rubber duck on Snowball’s head. Snowball instantly went cross-eyed.

Sebastian gazed at Stella’s wrist, his mind wandering.

Just then, a knock at the door drew the attention of the trio and the python. Allan leaned casually against the doorframe, one hand in the pocket of his floral swim trunks, the other fiddling with his phone. A playful, knowing smile touched his lips.

“Sorry to break your little family bonding time,” Allan drawled, his posture relaxed but his voice ice-cold. “But five minutes ago, Gray Group dropped an announcement on their website.” He shot a look at Sebastian, eyes glinting with mischief.

*****

In the study, Allan sat with his legs crossed, sneering, “The Gray family is such a joke.”

On his phone screen, the official Gray Group announcement stated in stark black and white: authorized by the Chairman, Carlos, an emergency board meeting had voted to remove Sebastian as CEO, effective immediately.

In other words, Sebastian had been ousted from Gray Group.

1/3

“That old geezer really thinks he can control you by taking away some CEO title?” Allan’s brow arched, his grin wild and untamed. He was barely containing his simmering anger.

“If it weren’t for Annette and… Allan swallowed the rest of his sentence as Sebastian shot him a cold look.

But in no time. Allan cooled off and sprawled out on the couch, casual and relaxed. His eyes flickered with mischief. Obviously, he cooked up some plan involving Sebastian.

So, what’s your plan?” Allan asked, testing the waters.

“Why not use this as an opportunity to make a big move? Just announce who you are and let them know who’s really in charge,” Allan grinned. He’d been itching for years to hand over the reins and watch Sebastian take charge.

“No time,” Sebastian said, his deep voice radiating that intense, commanding pressure. His eyes were cold and distant.

“No time? What do you mean?” Allan’s voice rose before he could stop it.

“I’ve got other stuff to do,” Sebastian said, offering more explanation than he usually would to Allan.

“What the hell else could you possibly have to do?” Allan jumped to his feet, determined not to let this chance for a break slip away.

Sebastian pulled open a drawer and tossed a file onto the desk, the one John had delivered earlier.

Allan didn’t hesitate. He immediately opened it. As he read the contents, his expression shifted to one of utter disbelief.

“Wait, what?” Allan blurted out, still in shock.

Allan followed Sebastian out of the study in a daze, still struggling to process what he’d read.

“Where’s Stella?” Sebastian asked Jake, his gaze quiet yet commanding.

Before Jake could reply, the roar of a Lightning LS-218 engine thundered from the courtyard. The answer was obvious.

In the courtyard, Lucas sat on the wooden stairs, chin in his hands. Stella was straddling a sleek black superbike, her cold, dangerous gaze locked on her phone screen.

She was checking out Gray Group’s announcement. Twitter was blowing up about it.

Stella skimmed through the comments. It was obvious that paid trolls were at work, stirring up a chorus of disapproval aimed squarely at Sebastian, with particular venom directed at his disability as “proof” he was unfit for leadership.

One comment, the most liked of all, really caught Stella’s eye.

[PeachPie: Is Sebastian the psycho who cut open his sister-in-laws belly and pulled out his nephew after that weird car crash years ago?]

“Holy crap! A Lightning LS-218,” Allan exclaimed, snapping Stella back to reality. She looked up and saw Sebastian in his wheelchair. He’d swapped the bathrobe for an all-black, custom-tailored outfit-pure luxury from head to toe. His presence was as commanding as ever.

Allan rushed over, not to Stella, but to the bike, his eyes shining with admiration. “Is this yours?”

He checked out Stella, perched on the bike in her crisp white shirt, radiating pure ice. But her gaze slid right past him, landing on Sebastian behind him, like her mind was somewhere else entirely.

“Yeah,” Stella said distractedly. The bike had just been delivered.

She swung off the bike and strode straight toward Sebastian, her drop-dead gorgeous, ice-cold face giving nothing away.

2/3

Allan, however, noticed the slightest twitch in Sebastian’s hand.

Stella stopped lazily in front of Sebastian. “Mr. Gray, add me on WhatsApp,” she drawled, offering her phone. She stood. backlit by the sun, eyes half-narrowed. There was a hint of hostile energy she couldn’t quite suppress.

Allan almost laughed aloud. With that intense energy of hers, he thought she was about to pick a fight. But she just wanted to connect on WhatsApp.

“I don’t have it,” Sebastian said, his perfect face as cold as ever, though his tone was a little different this time.

Stella fell silent, feeling like he was turning her down. Who even doesn’t use WhatsApp nowadays?’ she thought.

“Fine, whatever,” she muttered, starting to pull her phone back. But then she glanced down. Sebastian’s cold, strong hand had closed over hers. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and has brows were furrowed.

Allan strolled over, throwing a long arm around Stella’s shoulders. “Stella, he really doesn’t have WhatsApp. He’s not blowing you off.”

He was laughing so hard that tears almost came, totally oblivious to the deadly glare Sebastian was directing at the arm on Stella’s shoulders.

Stella sidestepped, shrugging off Allan’s arm. She raised a brow with that signature rebellious edge, still not buying that anyone could actually live without WhatsApp.

3/3

立

AD

Comment

Send gift

No Ads