Filed to story: Watch Out, I’m The Lady Boss (Eleanor & Sebastian) Book PDF Free
“I came to check on you. Your fever hasn’t completely broken. This isn’t the right sort of food for you.”Daniel raised an eyebrow at him.
“Don’t worry, Mr Laurent. Everything I ordered is light and suitable for Eleanor. After all, I know her tastes better than you do.”A darker shadow passed behind Sebastian’s eyes.
“You took Eleanor to your house without her consent. That’s unlawful detention. Expect a call from my solicitor.”Daniel looked utterly unbothered.
“It was an emergency. Taking her to my place was the most practical thing to do, especially as my neighbour is a doctor. And you…” He gave Sebastian a mocking look.” Where exactly were you while all this was happening, oh devoted husband?”Sebastian’s fists clenched.
I really didn’t want to see the two of them get into a public brawl, though a part of me desperately wanted to throw something myself. What a complete nightmare this was.
I cut in before Sebastian could respond.
“Alright, I’ve had enough.” I stood up and said to Sebastian, “Let’s go,”
“Fine. Next time, then,” Daniel said with a smile directed at me, before turning a look of pure provocation on Sebastian.
I simply took Sebastian’s arm and led him out.
I didn’t offer any explanation once we were outside. If he trusted me, he wouldn’t need one. If he didn’t, anything I said would be pointless.
Besides, wasn’t this exactly how he treated me? I was just giving him a taste of his own medicine.
“I’m going back to the studio,” I said.
“You barely touched anything. Are you sure you’ve eaten enough?” Sebastian caught my arm as I turned to leave.
“I’m full.”
“Well, I haven’t eaten. I’m starving. Keep me company?” The look in his eyes was so pleading that, in the end, my resolve softened.
“Fine.”He took me to another restaurant. Whether it was to spite Daniel or for some other reason, he ordered almost exactly the same dishes Daniel had chosen.
Looking at all my favourite foods laid out like that just made me tired. Was this his idea of making it up to me? Because I didn’t need this kind of apology.
After a silent meal, Sebastian said, “Go for a walk?”I shook my head.
“I don’t have time. I need to get back to work.”Sebastian didn’t push it.
“Okay. I’ll drive you.”Over the next few days, my fever cleared up completely and business at the studio slowly picked up again.
Everything seemed to be getting back on track, but things between Sebastian and me remained lukewarm. We were less like a newlywed couple and more like two polite strangers sharing a house.
One night, as we were getting into bed, Sebastian said, “There’s a function tomorrow evening. Come with me.”
“No, I’m busy.” I turned over, putting my back to him. I didn’t want to discuss it.
The last time I’d gone to a function with him, I’d run into Genevieve. That woman was still haunting my life like a bad ghost. The last thing I wanted was to go to another party and risk meeting someone like her again.
The night was very quiet. I could hear the sound of our breathing in the dark, but neither of us spoke.
I have no idea how much time passed before I finally drifted into a fitful sleep.
***
The next day, since Sebastian was attending his function, I made plans to have dinner with Yvaine.
Just as I was leaving the studio, Daniel appeared again.
“Eleanor. You remember you promised to do me a favour.”
“If I don’t, you won’t give me the recording?”
“I know it’s a rotten thing to do, but I couldn’t think of any other way to get you to spend a bit more time with me.”
“I could always ask Louisa, or Clive Granger. Even Prescott,” I said coldly.
“Haven’t you heard? I told you, the old man left Skyline the day after Frank came to see him. Mum and Prescott went with him. They’re on a cruise, supposedly a world tour, no idea when they’ll be back.”
“They didn’t think to take you with them?”Daniel shrugged.
“What would be the point? Frank knows I don’t have that kind of money. He wouldn’t bother coming after me. Besides, he’s got nothing on me.”In other words, if I wanted information about Frank, Daniel was the only person I could work with.
Either him, or my mother, Caroline.
I picked the lesser of two evils.
“What’s the favour?” I asked.
“Come with me,” Daniel said.
“Where to?” I was suspicious.
“You’ll see soon enough.”When I didn’t move, he added, “What, you don’t trust me enough to get in the car?”I sent a quick text to Yvaine, apologising for cancelling dinner, and then got in.
Daniel took me to a styling salon. First, they did my hair, then applied meticulous make-up, and finally helped me into an exquisite evening gown.
Daniel gazed at me, spellbound.
“You look stunning.”I headed for the door.
“Let’s go.”I knew getting me all dressed up could only mean one thing: he was taking me to a function. I just hadn’t expected it to be a private viewing party.
The display cases glittered under brilliant chandeliers, though not as dazzlingly as the precious jewels held within them.
My attention was immediately captured by the central display, and for a moment, I forgot all about Daniel and the party.
Suspended within a delicate framework of platinum was a flawless, star-cut ruby. Not the usual deep scarlet, but a rare pigeon’s blood red, so vivid it seemed to glow with its own inner fire. A note attached to the display case said it was a two-hundred-and-fifty-carat stone, sold at a private auction for a world-record sum.
The platinum setting was shaped like a coiled serpent, its body encrusted with hundreds of tiny, colour-shifting sapphires that shimmered from deep blue to violet, creating the illusion of moving scales with every shift of light. The serpent’s head was a single, immense pear-cut emerald.
“I knew you’d like it.”I pulled myself away from my near-reverent study of the incredible piece and looked at Daniel. I stopped myself from thanking him for bringing me; after all, I’d only come because he’d made me, and I didn’t want him to think I was softening.
But deep down, I was genuinely grateful he’d brought me here. Before Sebastian, jewellery had been my one true passion in life.
“Who owns this?” I asked.
Daniel told me a name that meant nothing to me.
He said, “He’s a wealthy old man with a serious collecting habit. Loves all sorts of rare things, and loves showing them off even more. He hosts these viewing parties pretty regularly.”I looked back at the ruby choker. If I owned something like that, I’d want to show it off every single day.
“Eleanor.”I turned, surprised to see Sebastian there.
Just last night, I’d refused to accompany him to a function. And now, here I was, showing up with another man -my ex-boyfriend, no less. The situation was… well, to say it was awkward would be putting it mildly.
“I didn’t know this was the function you had in mind,” I groped for anything to say.
Sebastian said nothing, his eyes boring straight into mine.
Just then, someone else arrived.
“Eleanor!”
“Naomi,” I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Good to see you.”
“A friend of yours?” Daniel asked, half-smiling as he gazed at me with what looked like affectionate warmth.
“Yes, a good friend. Naomi Fenty, Ryan Fenty’s better half,” I introduced.
Daniel extended his hand amiably.
“Lovely to meet you. I’m a friend of Eleanor’s.”
“Ex-friend,” I clarified.
Daniel looked at me, his expression genuinely wounded.
“I’d hoped we could still be good friends, even after everything.”
“What ever gave you that idea?” I said.
“We aren’t even casual friends.”At best, we were temporary allies.
“Not even casual friends? Then why are you here as his date?”The sharp, mocking voice could only belong to Genevieve.
I should’ve expected her here. The woman was like a bad penny, always turning up.
I glanced at Sebastian, wondering if Genevieve was his date for the evening.
“So you turned Seb down just so you could be some other man’s plus-one? I wonder how your husband feels about that.” Genevieve’s smile was all poisoned honey.
“Genevieve, will you just shut up?” Naomi hissed.
Sebastian just watched me coldly. He didn’t tell Genevieve to stop. He didn’t say a word in my defence.
Right.
Some things never changed. He was still protecting her.
“Daniel, let’s go. I’m hungry.”Daniel shot a triumphant glance at Sebastian before turning to follow me.
Behind us, I could still hear Genevieve pressing on.
“Seb, are you really going to just take that from your wife?”
“Genevieve, will you please just shut the hell up?” Naomi sounded exasperated.
“I’m only stating facts,” Genevieve retorted, completely unapologetic.
I didn’t catch the rest.
I found a quiet spot to sit down, and Daniel went to fetch me some food.
But before he could return, Sebastian was suddenly beside me, pulling me to my feet.