Marian's POV
Sebastian's words hit me like a freight train.
My name? Involved in Jayden's fraud scandal?
I stood there frozen, my mind spinning as I tried to process what he'd just said. It felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me, and all the strength I'd spent so long rebuilding suddenly felt paper-thin.
"What do you mean my name?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.
Sebastian didn't flinch. If anything, his expression softened, which only irritated me further. "Marian, I'm not saying you had anything to do with it," he said, holding up his hands like he was trying to calm a cornered animal. "But someone—whether it's Jayden or someone else—is using your past connection to the family to drag you into this mess."
I let out a sharp laugh, though there was no humor in it. "My past connection? You mean the years of lies, manipulation, and emotional abuse I endured? That connection?"
