Sebastian slowly lowered his cutlery.
The fork made a soft click against the porcelain plate as he placed it down.
He picked up a napkin and calmly wiped his mouth before looking at Isabelle.
“Chloe prepares my meals.”
The words were cold and clear.
Sebastian didn’t look at Isabelle again.
He pushed his chair back and stood, then left the dining room without saying anything else.
Sophie watched him go with wide eyes before quickly climbing down from her chair and following him.
His footsteps echoed through the hallway as he walked toward his study, his expression remaining calm as though nothing unusual had happened.
Sebastian entered his study and closed the door behind him.
He walked over to his desk and sat down in the leather chair.
His fingers began to drum lightly against the dark wood while he stared at the windows overlooking the city.
He had barely eaten the food before leaving the dining room, and he had no interest in thinking about the dinner waiting behind him.
A few minutes later, the door creaked open.
Sophie peeked inside before slipping through the opening and hurrying toward him.
She climbed onto his lap and settled against his chest as though she had done it a hundred times before.
Her small arms wrapped around his back while she rested her head against him, her dark hair brushing against his chin.
Sebastian’s fingers stopped drumming and he lowered his gaze to the top of her head.
His expression remained unreadable but he didn’t tell her to leave.
Sophie stayed there quietly for a while, comfortable enough to sit with him even when he wasn’t saying anything.
The study door opened again.
Isabelle stood outside with a small smile on her face though it looked slightly forced now.
She glanced at Sophie before looking at Sebastian.
“If you don’t want to eat the food, should I prepare you some tea?”
“I’m fine.”
Isabelle’s smile tightened.
She quickly returned to her usual calm expression and nodded.
“Alright.
I’ll leave you to your work then.”
She disappeared from the doorway and closed the door gently behind her.
Sophie shifted a little and looked up.
“Daddy, you should eat.
You haven’t eaten anything since this morning.”
Sebastian remained silent.
“It’s not good to skip meals,” Sophie continued.
Her voice became more serious as she tried to convince him.
“I heard that people who don’t eat properly get sick.
And when people get sick, they look ugly.
Then Auntie Belle and all the women will run away from you.”
Sebastian’s eyes moved down to her face, but he still didn’t say anything.
Sophie sighed dramatically and rested her cheek against his chest again.
“And then I’ll never have a mommy again.
All my friends have mommies.
Even Emily has a mommy and her mommy isn’t even pretty like Auntie Belle.”
Sebastian stared at her for a moment.
He knew Sophie could talk for a long time when she had something on her mind, and there was little point in interrupting her when she was like this.
So he simply let her continue.
“Daddy, are you listening to me?” Sophie asked, lifting her head and poking his chest.
“I heard you.”
“Good.
Because this is important.” Sophie nodded as if she had just been given permission to continue.
“You need to stay handsome so you can find a wife.
But not just any wife.
She has to be nice and pretty and like chocolate cake as much as we do.”
Sebastian’s expression didn’t change.
Sophie seemed satisfied that he was listening and began playing with his tie.
Her small fingers moved over the silk while she thought about what to say next.
“Auntie Belle is nice and pretty.
And she can even cook.” Sophie paused and studied Sebastian’s face carefully.
She seemed to be trying to understand something she had noticed but couldn’t explain.
Then she looked up at him with suspicious eyes and asked, “Daddy, don’t you like Auntie Belle?”
***
Claire stared at her phone for the third time that morning, her thumb hovering above the assistant’s number.
Three days had passed since the meeting, and she still hadn’t made a decision.
“You’re going to miss this opportunity,” Ruby said from the doorway, her arms crossed under her breasts.
“Three years’ salary in three months?
Who turns that down?”
“I’m thinking,” Claire replied, though she wasn’t really thinking anymore.
She’d done plenty of that the past few nights, lying awake as scenarios danced behind her eyes.
“Think faster,” Ruby said, disappearing back into the living room.
“Or I’ll call him myself and accept on your behalf.”
Claire sighed and finally pressed the call button.
The assistant answered immediately, and after a brief conversation in which she agreed to the terms, they arranged for her to visit the house on Sunday.
.
{Sunday afternoon}
.
Claire found herself standing before her closet, debating what to wear.
At first, she’d considered something casual since it was Sunday, but then remembered this was still work-related.
So she settled on a black button-down shirt tucked into beige pants.
Professional but not overly formal.
The cab dropped her off at the address in a high-end residential district where houses became progressively larger as she walked.
When she finally reached the correct street, she found herself staring at impressive gates set in stone pillars.
No security guard was visible but as she approached, the gates began to swing open as if they’d been expecting her.
Claire walked through, her eyes widening a little at the view before her.
The driveway curved through clean, well-kept lawns with flowerbeds arranged in neat patterns.
In the center of a circular garden stood a white marble statue.
A woman with long hair and arms stretched out as if welcoming people home.
As she walked up the driveway, a silver sports car came into her view near the garage.
Her heart skipped for a moment.
She had lost count of the number of times she had seen cars like this almost everywhere she went: the exact brand, type, color.
But seeing it here made her feel a little relieved.
There was probably no dangerous stalker after all.
She was just overreacting like Ruby always said.
She continued toward the main building, a modern structure with clean architecture and large windows.
The size of the house, the carefully maintained grounds, and every detail around it made it clear that someone with considerable wealth lived here.
Claire walked to the entrance.
The front doors were made of dark wood with simple metal handles.
She pressed the doorbell and waited.
Minutes passed.
Just as she was considering pressing it again, the door swung inward.
“Auntie…” Sophie, who had opened the door started to say, her face lighting up with a smile so bright that Claire almost found herself smiling back.
The expression transformed the girl’s entire face, making her look years younger and completely approachable.
But then Sophie’s eyes focused on Claire, and the smile slowly faded.
The warmth drained from her face, replaced by a familiar scowl.
Her expression changed by several degrees, from welcoming to hostile in the span of a heartbeat.
“You?” Sophie said, her voice now cold.
“What are you doing here?”