Sebastian stepped out of the black limousine, adjusting his uniform and sunglasses. The moment he set foot on the campus of Kingsworth Academy, a crowd of students, mostly girls, swarmed around him. The atmosphere was charged with excitement as whispers spread about the return of Sebastian Smith, the elusive heir.
"Nice to see your face once again," he said with a smirk, his voice cool but confident. The students clapped, creating a pathway for a familiar figure—Jeffrey, his old friend. The crowd hushed, eager for the tension they thought would erupt.
"Nice to see you again, my friend," Jeffrey said, extending a hand.
"Same here," Sebastian replied, shaking his hand. More students gathered, anticipating a fight between the two. But to their surprise, Sebastian simply nodded at Jeffrey and walked past him toward the school.
Inside the classroom, the day began with the usual roll call. The teacher marked the register with a few taps on her tablet, and the students did the same.
"Welcome back, Sebastian Smith," Mrs. Harley, their homeroom teacher, greeted him with a smile.
"Thank you, ma," Sebastian replied, scanning the classroom. "But who's occupying this empty seat?" he asked, pointing to the spot next to him.
"Raelynn Smith, your twin sister," Mrs. Harley answered.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Oh, this is going to be interesting," he muttered under his breath.
"Woah, it's great to have my friend back!" Jeffrey exclaimed. "And now my ex, Rae, is coming back too. This school year is going to be wild!"
Sebastian shot Jeffrey a warning look. "Mind your tongue, Jeff," he warned, his voice low. Then he pulled out his phone and dialed Rae's number.
"Hey, twinnie," Rae's cheerful voice came through the phone.
"I heard you're returning," Sebastian said, his tone flat.
"Yeah, I'm at the airport in England," Rae replied. "I'll call you when I land in America."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Sebastian asked, frustration creeping into his voice.
"I did try calling you," Rae answered. "But your phone wasn't picking up. Everyone knows already, though."
"Alright, call me when you land. I'll come pick you up," Sebastian said, softening slightly.
"Love you, bro," Rae said before hanging up. Seb made his way to the Broadcasting room to see his friend
Hey Roy Seb said
You're finally back Sebastian Roy replied
Yeah you're still going numerous tutorials your life is so boring Seb said
But I still got my dear Broadcasting club Roy said
You're right see you later I have a class now Seb said before leaving
As Sebastian was about to settle into his seat, Jade, the class president, appeared at the door.
"Sebastian," she said, her voice a bit too formal. "The director—your mom—sent for you."
Sebastian nodded, not showing much interest. "Why?" he asked, his tone colder than usual
He made his way to the top floor of the school building, where his stepmother, Mrs. Catherine Smith, awaited him in her office. The room was lavishly decorated, but Sebastian couldn't shake the cold feeling that always lingered around her.
"Why did you send for me?" Sebastian asked, crossing his arms, his voice laced with resentment.
"Can't I see my son?" Mrs. Catherine asked, her tone almost sweet, but Sebastian could hear the underlying condescension.
"We both know my real mother is at home," Sebastian retorted, his eyes narrowing.
"What if someone overheard you?" Mrs. Catherine replied, her expression hardening.
"My mom may be the second wife of the president of Kingsworth Group," Sebastian said, his voice firm. "But you and Dad don't have the right to erase her from my life. Rae and I will always recognize her as our mother."
Mrs. Catherine's smile faded, replaced by a stern glare. "Your mother will remain invisible forever," she said coldly. "She'll never be acknowledged as President Smith's wife. Only I will be recognized."
Sebastian's patience snapped. "I'll bring my mom into the light one day," he said through gritted teeth. "How could you and Dad be so cruel? You locked her up like a prisoner, never even giving her the chance to live her life freely!"
"She should have never seduced my husband," Mrs. Catherine shot back, her voice rising in anger.
Sebastian's jaw clenched, but he held his ground. "Watch your mouth, Catherine."
"Chris is my only son," she said, almost triumphantly. "You should know that your father doesn't care about your feelings. All he cares about is Kingsworth Group."
"Everyone knows I'm Sebastian, Rae, and my son's mother," Sebastian said, his voice low and cold. "Let's just leave it at that."
Without another word, he turned and left the room.
Later, when Sebastian returned to class, Stella was waiting for him. As soon as he entered, Stella, his fiancée, approached him, her heels clicking sharply on the floor.
"We need to talk," she said, pulling him aside.
They walked together toward the school garden, where the tension between them was palpable.
"I'm your fiancée, Seb," Stella said, her voice a mix of frustration and hurt. "But you've been treating me like I don't exist. Why?"
Seb looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Stella," he said quietly, "we both know this isn't real. We're together because our parents want us to be. I can't love you. We're just playing a part for them."
Stella's lips trembled with unshed tears, but she didn't argue. She knew the truth, even if it stung.
"So let's keep up the act for their sake," Seb said, his tone distant. "But don't get any ideas about this relationship. It's nothing more than a contract."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Stella standing there, her heart heavy with the reality of their situation.