6
Because of Cole, the Hayes family had always been at odds with the Fords.
To someone like Sebastian, the Hayes family was insignificant–barely worth his attention. And yet, here I was, lying in his bed.
“Mr. Ford,” I croaked, my voice hoarse and raspy, startling even myself.
Sebastian didn’t answer. He merely glanced at me before turning back to the window.
“Thank you for saving me,” I said awkwardly, struggling to fill the silence. “I’m really sorry for causing you trouble. I even slept in your bed… You must not have gotten any rest.”
Still, no response.
The silence was unbearable. I bit my lip and tried to stand, but the moment my feet touched the floor, my legs gave out, and I nearly collapsed. I managed to catch myself and sat back down, embarrassed.
“I… I’m sure you’ve heard about what happened with my family,” I said, forcing myself to speak. “I know most people are avoiding me now… But you helped me anyway. I’m really grateful. I promise I’ll leave as soon as I can. I don’t want to cause you any more trouble.”
“Leave and go where?”
Sebastian’s cold, commanding voice cut through the room like a knife.
I froze, caught off guard by his sudden reaction.
“What?” I stammered.
He turned toward me, his dark eyes piercing and unyielding. A mocking smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
“Where exactly do you plan to go, Lila? Back to Cole? Or to those bloodsucking parents of yours?”
I opened my mouth to respond but had no answer.
The truth was, I didn’t know. I had nowhere to go.
Lowering my head, I stared at my bandaged legs, feeling a mix of shame and regret.
“Maybe… I’ll stay in a hotel for now,” I mumbled.
For the first time, I regretted not buying a place of my own. But then again, even if I had, it would’ve been bought with Hayes family money- money that had never truly belonged to me.
“Lila Hayes,” Sebastian said suddenly, his tone unreadable.
Instinctively, I looked up.
“Do you remember what I told you before?” he asked, his voice low and measured. “I warned you that Cole wasn’t the right man for you. I told you your parents would never be your safe haven. And how did you respond? You called me a manipulative liar, accused me of using you to get
back at Cole.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut.
Back then, I had been so blind, so utterly naive. Now, his blunt honesty only made me want to crawl into a hole and disappear.
“I never needed you to be my pawn to take down Cole Parker,” he continued, his voice cutting. “You’re not that important.”
I stayed silent, every word feeling like another knife to my chest.
But for some reason, I couldn’t hold back anymore. The weight of everything–the humiliation, the betrayal, the pain–came crashing down at
once.
“You’re right,” I said bitterly, my voice trembling. “I was blind. I mistook garbage for treasure, and now I’m paying the price. Everyone in Linton City sees me as a joke. If I step outside, I’ll probably drown in their spit.”
The room fell silent.
Sebastian studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable.
Just as I braced myself for another cutting remark, he turned away, his gaze shifting back to the window.
“Marry me,” he said suddenly.
I stared at him, stunned.
“What?”
