It had been a long day—longer than I cared to admit. Every minute was filled with emails, phone calls, and endless meetings, most of which were about damage control. Olivia had once again managed to disrupt everything, leaving me to pick up the pieces. Each step felt like I was moving deeper into a dark tunnel, and I couldn't see the light at the end.
I left the office later than usual, the streets outside quiet and cold. The air felt thick, heavy, like it was pressing down on me. I pulled my coat tighter around myself and walked slowly, my mind too tired to focus on anything specific. The city buzzed around me, but I couldn't hear it. My thoughts were loud, loud enough to drown everything else out.
I didn't even notice when I reached my apartment building. I stood there for a moment, staring blankly at the door, before realizing I had arrived. Just as I reached for the handle, I noticed him—Sebastian. He stood by the entrance, leaning against the wall, his hands stuffed in his coat pockets. He looked like he had been waiting for a while.
I didn't expect him to be there. "You're here?" I asked, surprised.
Sebastian glanced up, his eyes meeting mine. A small, knowing smile tugged at his lips. "I thought you might need someone," he said softly, pushing off from the wall.
I wasn't sure what to make of that. There was something about his presence that unsettled me, yet I couldn't deny that it felt oddly comforting. "It's been a long day," I said, my voice more tired than I wanted it to sound.
He stepped closer, his eyes scanning my face. "I know. Let's get inside. You look like you could use a drink."
I didn't argue. He had always been the kind of person who knew exactly what to say. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I was glad he was here. I followed him inside.
The apartment was quiet, the usual hum of the city muted by the walls. The kitchen lights flickered slightly as we entered, casting a warm glow over the room. Sebastian went straight to the cabinet, pulling out a bottle of whiskey without asking. I couldn't help but watch him, the way he moved so effortlessly, like he knew exactly what he was doing. It was the calmest I had felt all day.
"I'm going to need something stronger than water," I muttered as I sank into a chair, feeling every muscle in my body ache with exhaustion.
Sebastian didn't respond immediately, but after a moment, he handed me a glass filled with amber liquid. "Here. Drink up. It'll help."
I took the glass from him and hesitated before sipping it. The warmth of the alcohol slid down my throat, easing some of the tension I didn't realize I was holding. It wasn't a cure for everything, but for now, it worked.
We sat across from each other at the small kitchen table, the silence between us comfortable in its own way. I didn't have to talk about the mess I was dealing with, and he didn't push me to. It was just us—quiet, alone.
I noticed then that Sebastian wasn't drinking. He was staring into his glass, swirling the whiskey around. His jaw was tense, his eyes distant. He looked like he was somewhere far away, lost in his own thoughts.
"I'm not sure if I can keep doing this," I said after a while, my voice barely above a whisper. I wasn't sure why I was telling him. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was just the weight of the day, but I needed to say it. "All of it. Olivia, the company, everything. It's too much."
Sebastian looked up, his gaze meeting mine, and for the first time, I saw something softer in his eyes. There was something more human there, less of the cold, calculated person I had come to know.
"You're not alone in this," he said quietly. "I've got your back, Lila. And I won't let anyone tear you down."
His words, simple as they were, sent a strange warmth through me. It wasn't just the whiskey. There was something in his tone, in the way he said it, that made me believe him—just a little bit. It felt nice to hear someone say that for once.
I leaned back in my chair, setting my glass down. "Why are you really helping me?" I asked, the question hanging in the air between us. "Is it because of your revenge against Olivia? Or is there something else?"
Sebastian took a deep breath, as if he were weighing his words carefully. His gaze softened, but there was a hardness there too, something I hadn't seen before. "It's not just about revenge," he said slowly. "It's about justice. Olivia deserves everything that's coming for her. But I'm not doing this for some personal gain. I'm here because you're the one who can bring her down. You have what it takes."
I wasn't sure if that was supposed to make me feel better or worse. He was right, of course. But there was something in his eyes that made me doubt the full truth of what he said. Something was missing, something he wasn't saying.
Before I could ask more, he stood up suddenly, turning toward the window. "There's more to all of this than you realize," he muttered, almost to himself. His fingers rested lightly on the window sill as he stared out, lost in thought.
I watched him, feeling the distance between us growing. I wanted to understand what he was thinking, but it felt like there was a wall between us that I couldn't cross.
"Then tell me," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "What's really going on?"
He didn't answer right away, and when he did, his voice was low, almost as if he were unsure of what to say. "I'm playing a game," he admitted, his back still to me. "And right now, I'm not sure who's going to win."
I couldn't bring myself to say anything. His words hit me harder than I expected. I had known all along that he had his own agenda, but hearing him admit it so honestly was another thing altogether.
"Is that why you're here?" I asked, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach. "To play a game?"
Sebastian turned slowly, his face unreadable. He didn't say anything for a moment, just looked at me with those piercing eyes of his. "I'm not here for a game, Lila," he said quietly. "But if I'm going to make Olivia pay, I need to be sure I have all the right pieces. And right now, you're one of those pieces."
The words stung, but I couldn't say I didn't understand. We were both using each other, whether we liked it or not. It was the only way to survive in this world, it seemed.
I stood up, my legs unsteady beneath me. I walked over to the window, standing beside him. The city stretched out below us, the lights twinkling like a million stars.
"I don't want to be a piece," I said softly, the words coming out before I even realized I had spoken them. "I want to be something more than that."
Sebastian didn't answer, but I could feel his presence next to me, solid and real. The space between us had shifted. We were no longer just allies in a game of revenge. There was something else there now—something that neither of us could deny.
As we stood together in silence, I realized that I didn't know where this would go, where Sebastian's motives would lead us. But for the first time, I wasn't sure if I cared.