Filed to story: Watch Out, I’m The Lady Boss (Eleanor & Sebastian) Book PDF Free
But that was the bit that didn’t make sense.
We’d barely seen each other. A few run-ins, some short conversations, and, yes, one wild night together.
But nothing remotely close to “hey, let’s ruin our lives together” territory.
So why the hell was he offering to marry me like it was no big deal?
He could have anyone. Literally anyone. There were women in Skyline who’d trample their own sisters to get his number.
What did I have that made me wife material in Sebastian Laurent’s billionaire brain?
I looked at him. Straight up asked, “Why me?”
“It doesn’t have to be a permanent situation. If things don’t work out, we can split after a year.”I narrowed my eyes.
“That’s not what I asked. I said-why me?”His mouth curled slightly.
“Doesn’t have to be you. You’re right, I’ve got options, and I’m guessing you do too. But out of all the people we could’ve dragged into a pretend marriage, I’m still your best pick. That’s why you came to me in the first place, yes?”
“Yes,” I said reluctantly.
“Miss Vance, I’m not playing house. This wouldn’t be some cutesy charade. It’d be a real, legal marriage. With paperwork. With rings. You’d have a marriage certificate and a title that means something. And with that, you can tell Mrs Granger to back off, and your family to shove their matchmaking plans. You’d finally have the upper hand.”He paused just long enough to make it clear he wasn’t bluffing.
“Think about it.”I had no clue how I made it back to Oakwood Apartments.
At some point, Sebastian had deposited me at my doorstep, then headed back to the office like he didn’t need sleep.
I unlocked my door, stumbled to the sofa, and flopped down.
His words wouldn’t stop replaying.
“Marry me.”Bir tusi apak That there earing his hating freine died the door Then if we work list putting on a show for on tunties, d dove seith contrats att paperance and probably a joint tas The needed a buffer from his family. I meded to the down Lenies and her delions Fine Strategle partnership, one-year term. noses, he drams Easy, right?
I told myself it was fine. Totally fine. Very normal to consider marring a man I barely knew just to get my life bark I didn’t help that my brain had timed into a courtroom. One tiny lawyer me was screaming “Run!”, the other one was already drawing up the prenup.
They bickered so loud in my head I thought I might throw something I lay sprawled like a zombie for a bit, then gave up trying to think and stumbled into the shower.
Two minutes later I was face-planted in bed, lights still on, hair still damp, consciousness entirely gone.
By the time I got to Nyx Collective the next morning, I looked semi-human. Barely.
A whole flock of interns had formed a human shrine around Violet Lin, who was basking in the attention and waving her hands around.
“The Laurent party was insane. I swear, the road was lined with luxury cars. Only the creme de la cr?me of Skyline City even got through the gates…. Obviously, I was on the guest list. Oh, and I talked to the heir, you know, the one who just got back from overseas? He’s hotter than any actor. I mean, movie-star jawline, a killer bod. You get it.”I didn’t get it. Or care.
I swerved around the Violet fan club and beelined straight for my desk.
The second she clocked me, her whole vibe shifted. Her smile twitched. She continued her story but kept glancing over at me like I might jump up and shout “You lie!” any moment.
When I didn’t say anything, she relaxed. Her shoulders dropped, her voice got louder, and the fake stories flowed like boxed wine at an office party.
I tried sketching. Five design drafts, all garbage. I gave up after I realised draft six looked suspiciously like Sebastian’s face and headed for the break room, hunting caffeine.
But his voice followed me there like a persistent ghost.
“Marry me.”
“I’m your best option.”I blinked and realised the water dispenser was overflowing. I fumbled to switch it off before the flood reached my shoes.
“What’s got you so spaced out?”I jumped. Nearly launched the bloody cup across the room.
Violet was leaning against the door jamb.
She clicked her tongue.
“Seriously? It was an innocent question. You look like you just got caught burying a body. You up to something shady?”I didn’t answer. Just grabbed some napkins, wiped down the counter, and headed for the door.
“Stop!” Violet blocked my path.
“Didn’t you hear me talking to you?
“There’s nothing to talk about.” I didn’t even slow down.
Our mutual fake-nice era was very much over, and I wasn’t interested in rerums.
But she stepped in front of me again and hissed in a low voice, “You’d better keep what happened at the Laurent party to yourself. Don’t go running your mouth to the others, got it?”I looked at her. You dorestier 1 wasn’t the only one at that party? Even if I say nothing, other people talk Except you and me, no one else from Nek was at that party. They don’t row is that crowd. If ghts is quiet, nn na hara noads to know a thing helas. I’ve prit better things to do than rehash you embarrassingtve minutes of fame I made another attempt to leave, but Violet clearly wasn’t done with her one-wornan paranoia parade.
As long as you don’t tell anyone I nicked the prototype, I won’t show anyone that little video of you going full WWE at the party Fair?
Oh. So we were doing blackmail now. Fun.
I stared her down. You think I care if they find out I threw a punch Yes, some people at Nyx liked me. Yes, I had work friends.
But they weren’t ride-or-dies, more like Monday-to-Friday lunch pals.
“Go ahead and tell whoever you want. I’m not the one who stole from the company.”Violet’s mouth twisted.
“Of course you care. You looked like a lunatic, and I’ve got it on video. You were way more embarrassing than I was.”
“So what’s the plan, Violet?”
“There is no plan. Just keep your mouth shut, and I’ll keep mine.”
“I’m hardly one for break-room gossip, and frankly, you’re not interesting enough for me to spread rumours about.”
She relaxed fractionally.
“Good.”
“But…”
“But what?”
“But you stealing that necklace from the showroom is not just gossip fodder. It’s career suicide. If Savannah finds out, you won’t just be unemployed, you’ll be blacklisted in the entire industry.”Her whole face twitched.
“I put it back! No one at Nyx knows, and they won’t-unless you tell them!”I raised a brow.
“You do know Savannah has access to the surveillance tapes, right? And that she reviews them periodically? If she spots you on her own, that’s on you. Not me.”The colour drained from her face so fast I thought she might faint. I could practically see the maths happening behind her eyes- trying to figure out how to wipe the footage before Savannah got curious.
A few minutes later, Savannah’s assistant popped her head in and asked me to head to her office.
Violet got summoned too. She walked in like she was headed to her own execution, all pale lips and shaky breath, clearly convinced I’d already tattled.
But Savannah didn’t mention the necklace. Not even a side-eye. Instead, she launched into business.
“Eliza Black’s been getting dragged online for weeks. Looks like it only made her dig her heels in, because she wants a full custom set from Nyx Collective, something unique to wear at the Cannes Film Festival next month. If she stuns, we ride the wave and launch the new luxe line off the back of it.”Savannah paused long enough for the weight of it to settle.
“Anyone who wants to can submit designs. Whoever she picks lead the project,” she said.
“It’s our shot. Don’t mess it up Violet was bouncing “T’ll make sure she loves my work!
Of course she would. She’d been quietly stewing ever since 1beat her out for the last commission It Eliza showed up to Cannes dripping in one of Violet’s designs, she’d be waving her victory banner all over the Nyx group chat I gave a more measured nod.
“I’ll be ready.”
The second I stepped out of Savannah’s office, my phone buzzed.
I ignored Violet’s taunting looks and checked out the message:
Your dry cleaning is ready for pick-up.”Right. Almost forgot.
I’d worn Sebastian’s jacket home yesterday after he lent it to me at the hospital.
I was going to hand-wash it at first, but one touch and I chickened out.
That thing felt more expensive than my entire wardrobe.
Definitely custom.
Definitely something that would disintegrate if I got anywhere near it with soap.
So I took it to the fancy dry cleaner on 5th instead.
After work, I headed straight there to pick it up.
On the way back, I passed the bakery near the corner and grabbed a few cupcakes.
Figured I might as well soften the awkwardness of returning a man’s jacket with sugar.
I got to Oakwood Apartments and stood in front of Sebastian’s door.
My heart was doing its own little cardio class.
I knocked.
Waited.
Knocked again.
Nothing Of course he wasn’t home.
He probably only slept two hours a day and worked hundred-hour weeks.
Still, I stood there for a beat longer than I meant to, weirdly disappointed.
Back in my flat, I messaged him: When will you be back at Oakwood? I’ve got your jacket.
I stared at the screen for two minutes.
No reply.
I ate dinner.
Watched an entire episode of The Infernal Housewives of Skyline City.