Just as Sebastian took a sip of his wine, his phone buzzed sharply, breaking the quiet. He glanced at the screen, recognizing his personal assistant’s number. With a faint sigh, he picked up, bringing the phone to his ear.
Immediately, a frantic voice flooded through. "Boss—bad news," his assistant’s tone was laced with panic. "The new secretary, Lilith... she’s at the police station, and somehow the media found out. It’s gone viral, trending everywhere. Our PR team’s trying to manage it, but it’s... it’s slipping out of control."
Sebastian’s face remained unreadable, but his gaze darkened.
In a voice that was cool and sharp, he replied, "Contain it. I don’t want a trace of this scandal by morning. And get her out of there—discreetly."
The assistant’s voice faltered slightly, "Yes, boss, we’ll... we’ll get right on it."
As the call ended, Sebastian placed his wine glass on the table, slipping his phone back into his suit pocket. Just as he was about to leave the party, a familiar voice called out.
"Sebbbbyyyyy... you’re leaving already?" His friend Liam appeared, a charming grin on his face. Liam was handsome too, with striking black eyes and silver-dyed hair that gave him a bold look.
Sebastian gave a slight nod, barely pausing. "Hmm," he replied, turning to walk away. But Liam grabbed his arm, halting him.
"Hold on, Sebbbvyyyyyyy—at least look over there. Someone’s been staring at you for a while now." Liam nudged Sebastian to turn his head.
Sebastian glanced over, and his eyes landed on Sienna. She was watching him from across the room, a look of deep admiration in her eyes. Her gaze was soft.
Liam’s smile faded slightly as he took in the scene. He felt a pang of jealousy—he’d always been drawn to Sienna. She was the epitome of beauty and grace, with a perfect blend of femininity and boldness. Talented, confident, and mesmerizing, she was everything a man could want.
But her eyes were locked on Sebastian, her heart clearly set. And though Sebastian showed no hint of interest, Liam couldn’t shake the feeling that his friend was effortlessly stealing away the one person he wanted most.
However, Sebastian felt nothing but disgust as his gaze settled on Sienna. All he saw was her fakeness, the way her charm masked a core filled with negativity. She was the reason his sister had run away.
His expression turned icier, gaze sharpening as he glanced back at Liam. An intense, dominating aura radiated from him, and his eyes flashed with a darkness that felt endless.
"Let go, Liam," he said, his voice cold and dangerous.
Liam felt a chill run through him. For a brief moment, he saw something in Sebastian’s eyes that startled him—a darkness so deep and consuming that it seemed to have no end. Numbly, he nodded and released his friend’s arm, stepping back.
’He’ remembered the first time he saw her in the office. She was smiling, her lips curved in a polite, practiced way, yet her eyes betrayed a loneliness that felt hauntingly familiar—a loneliness he knew all too well.
***
Lilith sat alone in the interrogation room, tapping her fingers on the table with a bored expression. The police officers had been firing question after question, each one duller than the last. She stifled a yawn, barely hiding her disinterest.
The officer across from her leaned in, his tone sharp. "What’s your relationship with Miss Lia?"
Lilith’s lips curled into a faint, amused smile. "She’s my fake bestie," she replied smoothly, shrugging. After all, she’d heard you weren’t supposed to lie to the police.
The officer narrowed his eyes, clearly irritated. He leaned forward again, voice firm. "And how long have you known Miss Lia?"
Lilith tilted her head, pretending to think hard. "Hmm... feels like a lifetime, but honestly? Just long enough to regret it," she replied, sighing.
The officer’s jaw clenched. "So, you’re saying you weren’t close?"
Lilith’s rolled her eyes. "Close? Only if you mean close to losing my sanity every time she called me soul sister."
"Miss Lilith, do you think this is funny? Do you have any idea that because of you, an innocent girl tried to commit suicide?" the officer shouted, his face red with frustration.
Lilith’s eyes narrowed, darkened with a dangerous glint. She didn’t take well to being yelled at. Suddenly, she burst into laughter, the sound echoing in the room, sharp and dangerous.
"Innocent girl? Officer, you’re joking, right?" she mocked, chuckling. The officer’s expression shifted, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as Lilith’s laughter faded into an icy silence. She tilted her head, her gaze piercing him with such intensity that he felt a shiver run down his spine. Rising to her feet, she slammed her hand on the table, making him flinch.
"Innocent? If you were half as clever as you think, you’d have checked her background by now," she sneered. "And why would she commit suicide and what proof she have a grainy, unfocused video? A video with an altered voice, no less. Don’t tell me you’re unaware of how easily voices can be manipulated these days," she said, her tone laced with sarcasm.
With that, she sank back into her chair, crossing her arms as her expression returned to calm, almost indifferent. She gave the officer a bored look. "I’m parched after explaining all that. Get me some water," she demanded, not even bothering to ask politely.
The officer gulped, his fear apparent, and without a word, he hurried out of the room, eager to escape her dangerous presence.
The police officer stepped out of the interrogation room, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, his face pale and beads of sweat glistening under the harsh hallway lights.
"Sir, are you alright?" one of the younger officers asked, noticing his shaken state.
He straightened up, clearing his throat in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. "Nothing," he muttered, waving off the question. "She’s just...a tough one to crack."
The younger officer raised an eyebrow, sensing something more, but didn’t press.
"Just... take her the water she asked for," he added hastily, trying to sound authoritative. "She’s scared of me. Probably needs to cool down a bit."
He turned away quickly, hoping no one would notice the slight tremor in his hands, but a few of the officers exchanged puzzled looks, unsure of what exactly had transpired behind that closed door.