#Chapter 19–In His Head
#Chapter 19 – In His Head
Stella
“Sebastian?” I whisper, feeling his lips brush against the shell of my ear. “What are you doing?”
His sudden closeness causes my heart to race, my cheeks turning a light pink color as I try to fight against a blush that creeps up on my face. The man pulls away, his fingers gently flattening out the strap of my dress.
“Your gown was out of place,” he states with a casual shrug, “I wanted to fix it for you.”
“Oh, well, thank you,” I respond with a small smile. He nods and turns away, taking a sip from the glass of whiskey in his hand.
“So, tell me, what do you plan to do now since you got your first paycheck?” Sebastian casually asks. He turns to look back at me, his eyes immediately latching onto mine.
“I am planning on moving out, actually,” the thought of leaving that place makes my smile grow. I know that as soon as I step through those doors, another part of my life will be free from Adrian and his hold on me.
“That’s good. I can help you find a place, too, if you want the help,” Sebastian leans into my side, gently nudging
- me.
“I would love your help. Thank you, Sebastian.”
The rest of the gala runs smoothly. I stand by Sebastian’s side and smile at people that he speaks with. Every so often, I join in on the conversation, but I choose to stay in the background, waiting Sebastian to have his time to shine at the gala.
Once the gala comes to its slow end, Sebastian and I waved goodbye to a few select people, ones that he wishes to keep on his good side, and he turns to me with a small smile on his face.
“I’ll go get the car. Meet me outside in five minutes, okay? He asks. I nod and watch as he turns away, casually walking through the crowd of billionaires as if it’s nothing
I sigh and take my time exiting the ballroom. A few people stop to say goodbye to me and I return their farewells, warmly smiling back at me despite by eyes feeling so heavy and tired.
Suddenly, I feel someone grab my wrist, yanking me into a nearby hallway. I gasp when I’m pushed up against the wall. My wrists are pinned against the expensive wallpaper to the sides of my head.
I turn my head and meet Adrian’s green eyes. One of my hands feels damp and more warm than usual. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice that Adrian’s hand is poorly wrapped in gauze, the white cloth a bright red color.
I remove my hand froni under his touch and slip the scarf off of my neck. Adrian unconsciously lowers his hand and I remove the soaked gauze, knowing that it will only cause more harm than good, and begin to tightly wrap my scarf around his hand.
Every so often, I take a peek at his face. His expression, once hard, has softened. I scoff and roll my eyes at him. “I’m not doing this for you,” I tighten the fabric and he hises from pain, our eyes meeting in a glare, “I don’t want you to stain my new dress.”
“Why?” Adrian’s jaw clenches. He places his hands back on the wall, caging me in. “Is it a gift from Sebastian? Is that why you are so protective over it?”
“So what if it is?” I quickly counter.
“Then I would tell you that whatever he gives to you, that lean provide it as well. I need you to cut ties with him.
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Chapter 19–in His Head
As your husband, I can provide you all of the money that you want, not him,” Adrian’s pleas fall on deaf ears.
“All of my interactions with Sebastian have nothing to do with you, Adrian,” I begin. I can feel his eyes travel across my face, taking in my appearance. Once his eyes drop below my face and to my neck, that’s when I decide to speak again, “I’m moving out.”
Adrian’s green eyes shoot up to mine. He opens his mouths if he’s about to say something, but movement to the side of us catches his attention. He slowly pulls away from the, his hands leaving the close proximity of my head.
“You should stay, Stella,” Clara’s voice makes me turn to look at her, “it’s not like it makes a difference whose mansion you stay in, right?”
I scoff. She has the gall to reprimand me for being a gold digger? Who does she think she is?
“That’s rich coming from you, Clara,” I narrow my eyes at her, “you’re the one who jumped from boyfriend to boyfriend. You’re the real gold digger here, not me.”
Clara feigns a gasp, one that Adrian seems to believe, and clutches the are over her heart. She shakes her head at me and makes ‘tsk‘ sounds.
“I have failed you as an older sister. I clearly raised you wrong since you’re acting this way towards Adrian and I,” she looks me up and down, “you won’t get away with slandering me by making up ugly rumors!”
Clara takes a step towards me but her heel catches against the skirt of her gown. She squeals and falls into Adrian’s arms. Her buries her face into his chest, beginning to cry.
“I forbid you from spreading rumors about Clara, Stella!” Adrian raises his voice at me.
I stare at him with a blank face. I’m disappointed in him, yes, but I know that arguing more will only make things. worse. I turn around and leave, heading for Sebastian’s car that sits outside.
Adrian
I move to go after Stella, but Clara’s body fully gives into mine, weighing me down. My eyes can’t help but watch as she walks away, the skirt of her dress being the last thing I see before she disappears.
My heart races inside my chest, my mind running a mile a minute as panic settles into my chest. She couldn’t possibly mean what she said, right? She can’t be moving out and into Sebastian’s home.
I look down at the bloodied scarf that is wrapped around my hand. My racing heart begins to settle, my mind slowing as a reminder of Stella’s kindness is fastened around my hand.
If she truly didn’t care about me, she would not have helped rewrap my hand. If Stella had changed into the cold. hearted woman I have believed her to be, she would not have shown kindness towards me.
Stella is just being stubborn. She still cares about me, even if it is buried deep down in her heart.
I race home, telling Clara to hire a driver to be taken to her own home, and order my driver to be as quick as possible. Once the car stops, I jump out and rush inside, running up the stairs to her bedroom.
I burst through the door and am met with the same panic felt earlier in the night. Her now empty bedroom stares back at me. Every trace of her is now gone, vanished into the night like she never lived here.
I look around the room, trying to see if there was a note or any other clue that she may have left for me. A notebook sits on the table, the moonlight illuminating the cover. I’m quick to grab it, opening lip its pages.
Inside the notebook sits numerous bullet point lists accompanied by random scribbles and notes. The subject matter? Everything about me.
Records of my likes and dislikes grace the pages, and every time I turn the page inore and more notes and
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#Chapter 19–In His Head
observations about me are stained into the pages.
Warmth speeds throughout my chest. I exit her room as I read the pages, making my way downstairs and into the large living room that is right next to the front door. I slowly read her notes, memorizing the curves of her letters.
This notebook is proof that Stella still has feelings for me. She left it behind with the purpose of grabbing my attention. I hate to admit it, but her plan worked.
The front doors open and I stand up, watching as Stella enters the home. Her hazel eyes train on mine before dropping to the notebook I have in my hands. She quickly approaches me, snatching the journal from my hands
“Did you…come back for it?” I ask with hope in my tone.
“No,” she passes me and approaches the fireplace. Suddenly, she tosses the notebook into the burning fire of the fireplace, turning back to me. “I forgot to throw away the trash.”
