Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88

55 vouchers

“You’ve been tailing me for quite a while now,” Sebastian drawled, his voice slow and clear, making sure every word landed.

He was composed, detached, and ruthlessly decisive. Everyone on the other side tensed up, but Stella, whose wrist was still in his grasp, seemed completely oblivious to what was happening.

She looked exhausted, her gaze distant.

“But from this moment on, there’s a new rule,” Sebastian said, his voice cold and authoritative.

His eyes were icy, completely devoid of warmth, and the presence he gave off radiated absolute authority.

“Yes, Mr. Gray!” everyone responded in unison.

No one dared to object. That kind of absolute obedience was ingrained in them. When Sebastian spoke, it was law.

“Her name is Stella Carter,” Sebastian said.

When Stella heard her name, she blinked herself back to reality, a bit confused, and instinctively glanced at Sebastian. She tried to pull her wrist away, but his cold, strong grip only tightened.

“Remember this name.” Sebastian’s voice was deep and steady, each word hitting everyone like a hammer. “Remember this face. From now on, seeing her is the same as seeing me.”

*****

On the way back, the Maybach was dead silent. The Maybach was dead silent. was dead silent. The Maybach was dead silent.

John, who was driving, kept glancing at the back through the rearview mirror, his expression hard to read.

Stella and Sebastian sat on opposite sides of the back seat, with Lucas, the adorable little guy, sandwiched between them. Lucas was happily munching on a cheese stick, swinging his tiny feet back and forth.

“Don’t get the wrong idea.” Sebastian’s cold voice cut through the silence.

Stella, who’d been gazing out the window, glanced back at Sebastian with a careless look. She raised an eyebrow. “What?” she asked.

“That was my way of paying back for that car,” Sebastian said. He didn’t even look at her, his face lost in the shifting light and shadow, making him seem unreadable, almost enigmatic.

John, sitting in the driver’s seat, was at a loss for words. ‘Mr. Gray, that’s one hell of a thank-you gift!’ he thought, his mind spinning.

Stella paused for a couple of seconds before she just replied, “Oh.”

“Oh?” Sebastian looked at her, his brow furrowing, and for a moment, the line of his throat was visible, cool, distant, and oddly captivating.

Stella wondered, ‘What else was I supposed to say? What does he want from me?’

“Thank you?” Stella said, propping her chin on one hand, her voice careless, with a hint of playfulness, trailing up at the end. But it was obvious Sebastian wasn’t satisfied.

Sebastian’s whole vibe suddenly turned dark and brooding.

Stella turned to look at Sebastian, confused. “Why are you mad?” Stella sighed.

Chapter 88

‘Wasn’t he the one who called it a payback for that car? So why is it wrong for me to say thanks?’ she thought.

Sebastian gave a cold, humorless laugh. “I’m not mad.”

55 vouchers

John glanced up at the rearview mirror again, only to meet Sebastian’s stormy gaze.

John froze for a moment. He immediately reached up and lowered the soundproof partition, making himself scarce.

Lucas was completely oblivious to the tension simmering on either side of him, just munching away and kicking his feet, living his best life.

Sebastian glanced over. His expression turned even stormier. He kept waiting, hoping Stella would say something else.

Ten seconds passed, twenty seconds passed, and thirty seconds passed. Until the only thing he could hear was her steady, even breathing beside him.

Sebastian whipped his head around, staring at Stella. She was still propping her chin up with one hand, but her eyes were closed, totally knocked out. For the first time ever, pure disbelief burned in his eyes.

‘Did she just fall asleep?’ Sebastian thought, floored. ‘No way. She actually fell asleep?’

Lucas stared at the last cheese stick in his hand, clearly reluctant to let it go. Suddenly, he hunched his shoulders a bit. ‘Wait, did it just get colder in here?’ Lucas wondered. ‘Why is the car suddenly so chilly?’

With his usual cuteness, Lucas tilted his little head until his eyes met Uncle Sebastian’s. He blinked his big eyes. ‘Is Uncle Sebastian angry?’ Lucas wondered.

Inside the dim car, Sebastian and Lucas locked eyes in silence. Lucas, moving extra slow, clutched the last cheese stick to his chest, shooting Sebastian a cautious, almost defensive look.

Sebastian just stared back at him, his expression unreadable.

Lucas wondered, ‘Uh-oh, I’m scared!’

Sebastian kept his poker face, still staring at Lucas without a word.

Lucas’s lips quivered as he nervously stretched out his wobbly little hand, holding the last cheese stick out to Sebastian.

Lucas wanted to sob. ‘No way Uncle Sebastian would actually eat it!’ Lucas thought, absolutely convinced.

Hopeful and sure, Lucas looked up at Sebastian, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

After a moment, the silence hung in the air.

As he could see right through Lucas, Sebastian gave a chilly smirk and just leaned in, taking a big bite out of the cheese stick.

Lucas stared at his hand, now holding nothing but the empty white stick. He was totally stunned, like he’d turned to stone. His eyes went huge, pupils shaking like crazy. Tears welled up in his eyes in an instant.

Sebastian raised his hand and silently pointed at Stella, who was still fast asleep, signaling Lucas to hold back his tears and not wake her up.

“Heh,” Sebastian turned away in silence, leaving Lucas totally petrified, staring at the empty white stick in his hand, as he’d just been zapped.

In that moment, the heart of a five-year-old boy was crushed into tiny pieces, scattered all over the floor!

‘Uncle Sebastian, that’s so unfair,’ Lucas thought, feeling totally wronged. ‘Meanie!’

16:03 Thu, Jan 22

Chapter 88

*****

55 vouchers

At the dock, a black Mercedes was parked in the darkness.

Carlos was sitting inside with the window down, worry etched across his face.

“Wasn’t he supposed to be out tonight? Why isn’t he back yet?” Carlos asked anxiously, his voice tight with worry.

‘How the hell did Sebastian manage to snag that land in South District?’ Carlos racked his brain, totally baffled.

No matter how hard he tried to dig up answers, even sending people to poke around inside, everyone just zipped their lips. Not a single soul dared to spill anything.

‘Damn it, this is insane!’ Carlos cursed inwardly.

He’d barely gotten his hands on the land, and now Gray Group’s project was falling apart. This is definitely Sebastian’s payback for kicking me out of Gray Group,’ Carlos thought.

Carlos forced himself to calm down, pulling his thoughts together.

‘Guess I really let my emotions get the best of me this time,’ he reflected, a wave of regret washing over him.

“Carlos,” the driver reminded him.

Headlights pierced the darkness, drawing closer. Without a moment’s hesitation, Carlos got out of the car and stood directly in front of the Maybach, which prowled through the night like a dangerous eagle.

A long black skid mark streaked across the pavement. The car stopped dead in front of Carlos.

“Mr. Gray?” Carlos called out, his voice cutting through the night.

The soundproof partition slid up, and John glanced over, giving Sebastian a quick heads-up.

Stella’s eyes flew open, icy and sharp. She instinctively loosened her grip on Lucas.

She’d expected her head to slam into the window from the abrupt stop, but nothing happened.

She turned her head and, just for a moment, glimpsed a sickly pale face in her line of sight.

Sebastian pulled his hand back, his face blank and unreadable.

The window slid down.

Sebastian fixed Carlos with a dark, intense stare, making Carlos’s heart skip a beat.

“Sebastian, that ancient tomb mess with the Gray Group project, was that you?” Carlos asked, but he was already sure of the

answer.

Sebastian didn’t even acknowledge him. His handsome face, half-shrouded in the night, gave off such a dangerous aura that Carlos couldn’t help but feel a chill.

“I’ll let you come back to Gray Group, but only if you hand over that land in the South District,” Carlos began, but before he could finish, Sebastian cut him off with a cold, mocking laugh

“Excuse me, don’t mind me. Carry on,” Stella drawled.

She casually lifted a hand to shield her eyes, the smirk on her lips sharp and biting.

‘He’s got the nerve to say that. I’m honestly too embarrassed to even listen,’ Stella thought, rolling her eyes. ‘Absolutely

16:03 Thu, Jan 22

Chapter 88

shameless.

The window slowly rolled up, a clear sign that Sebastian was done listening to this crap.

55 vouchers

“Do you really think Gray Group can’t function without you? I could just call up the Everhart family and have them step in to save the day.

“So tell me, if they get involved, do you really think all of Gray Group’s problems won’t just magically disappear?” Carlos shot back, his voice dripping with threat.

Carlos’s face darkened.

‘I’m already giving him an out. If he insists on being stubborn, he can’t blame me for getting ruthless,’ Carlos thought, his jaw set with cold determination.

The window, rolling up, came to an abrupt halt.

Comment

田

Send gift

[by

AD