Chapter 4 - Whispers in the Dark and Diego's Miraculous Recovery
The master suite on the third floor of Blackwood Manor was larger than my entire apartment building. It featured a private library, a marble fireplace, a terrace overlooking the crashing ocean waves, and two completely separate, adjoining bedroom wings connected by a grand sitting room.
The moment the heavy double doors clicked shut behind us, locking out the prying eyes of the estate staff, the suffocating tension in Sebastian’s shoulders visibly dropped.
He loosened his silk tie with one hand and poured two glasses of sparkling water from a silver carafe.
"You handled yourself exceptionally well down there," he said, handing me a glass.
"They hate me," I replied, leaning against the marble mantle of the fireplace, my heart still racing from the confrontation in the foyer. "Arthur looked like he wanted to slit your throat, and Victoria looked like she wanted to poison my drink."
"Arthur has been trying to usurp my father's legacy since the day the company was founded," Sebastian said coldly, walking out onto the balcony where the cool ocean breeze ruffled his dark hair. "When my parents died, he thought he had won. He never expected me to survive the streets, rebuild the family shipping empire, and reclaim the majority shares. Having you here, wearing my grandmother’s ring, destroys his final leverage. Without the marriage requirement, he has no legal ground to contest the trust."
I joined him on the terrace, wrapping my arms around myself against the chill of the evening. The sound of the ocean below was hypnotic.
"You carry a heavy ghost, Sebastian," I murmured softly, looking at his sharp profile illuminated by the moonlight.
He turned his head to look at me. For the first time, the icy, unyielding armor he wore around the world seemed to crack, revealing the haunted boy my father had pulled from the burning basement eight years ago.
"The night of the fire," Sebastian said quietly, staring out into the dark horizon, "I was terrified. I was bleeding, choking on smoke, and convinced that the men Arthur hired had finally trapped me. When the cellar roof caved in, I gave up. But then your father broke through the window. He was coughing blood, his clothes were catching fire, but he grabbed me by the collar and said, 'Not on my watch, kid. You've got too much life left to live.'"
Sebastian swallowed, his jaw tightening.
"He carried me up the ladder on his back. When the paramedics arrived, I panicked and fled into the alleys before anyone could identify me. By the time I took back my name and had the power to look for him... he was already gone. I couldn't save the man who gave his life for mine. But I swore on his grave that if his family ever needed protection, I would move heaven and earth to provide it."
A profound, aching warmth bloomed in my chest. This wasn't just a corporate transaction or a billionaire's tactical game. Beneath the ruthless empire and the cold arrogance was a man bound by an unbreakable sense of honor and fierce loyalty.
"He would be proud of what you've built," I said gently, placing a tentative hand on his forearm.
Sebastian looked down at my hand on his sleeve, then slowly looked into my eyes. The space between us suddenly felt charged with an intense, unspoken electricity. For a fleeting second, the fake engagement felt terrifyingly real.
His phone buzzed sharply on the glass table, breaking the spell.
Sebastian cleared his throat, stepping back to check the screen. "It's Dr. Hayes from St. Jude."
He answered it immediately, putting it on speaker.
"Miss Santos? Mr. Blackwood?" Dr. Hayes’s cheerful voice came through. "Diego just woke up. He’s asking for his sister and complaining that the hospital apple juice isn't cold enough. He is out of the woods completely."
A breathless laugh escaped my lips, followed by a torrent of happy tears. I covered my face, laughing and crying simultaneously.
Before I realized what I was doing, I stepped forward and threw my arms around Sebastian’s neck, hugging him tightly.
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Sebastian froze for a fraction of a second, entirely unaccustomed to spontaneous affection. But then, slowly, his powerful arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me firmly against his broad chest. He held me as I wept tears of pure relief against his shoulder, his chin resting gently on the top of my head.
"He's safe, Maria," Sebastian murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I promise you, as long as I draw breath, no harm will ever come to your family again."
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