Sebastian
The following day I had a bouquet of Elena’s favourite flowers delivered to her office along with her favourite delicacies. I apologised for not being able to join her that evening for a Valentine’s Day dinner.
In return, she sent me a timepiece with the same apology.
I had felt incredibly uneasy since Elijah’s visit yesterday. His words hit home and made me wonder just who exactly I am working myself to the bone for.
Granted, I am doing this for my family, but who says they will all still love me when my workload starts to lessen? So, I asked my PA to begin compiling the resumes of suitable candidates to stand beside me as my COO.
I just have to face tonight, and then I will be free to spend my time with my family again.
I hope after this Elena will still feel the same about me, surely our love wouldn’t crack under this little pressure, right?
Shaking my head, I dive into what leftover work I had yesterday, and it puts my mind at ease that after today I won’t be staring at these walls for the next three weeks.
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Elena
Blimey, what the heck is wrong with me?! I can’t do anything but stare at the beautiful bouquet of flowers on my desk. Sebastian remembered Valentine’s Day, whereas I forgot like the idiot I am.
This can’t go on any longer; I need to put my husband first after today. I can’t keep on throwing myself into work like this and expect him to wait for me patiently.
Something needs to be done, and after this evening, I’ll make sure to show my husband just how much I still love him.
The day seems to go by quickly, and by half-past six, I am ready to head out to my meeting with a woman who could shoot my literary house to the next level. I must admit that it feels daunting to be here, knowing how much power this woman holds.
The concierge at the hotel seems to know who I am and who I am to meet here because he leads me straight to the restaurant. But something feels off…
It's Valentine’s Day, and the place is empty, save for one seat in the middle.
It’s obscured by a diamante curtain, similar to the Lumiere - certainly, that woman wouldn’t have gone out of her way like this. When I step through the curtain, my eyes widen when I see a table set up for two with red wine and dinner already set.
Oh, my gosh, is she perhaps a lesbian? Does she have a crush on me and is using this as a smokescreen?!
Suddenly feeling an itch in my neck, I turn around to get the heck out of there, only to run smack bang into a chest.
A very familiar chest.
A very, very familiar Tom Ford smelling chest.
“Sebastian?!” I ask incredulously, looking up into my husband’s equally confused face. Man, I forgot how dashing he looks in a tailored suit.
He frowns. “Elena, what…? What are you doing here?”
“I can bloody well ask you the same thing!” I exclaim, taking a step back. “I’m supposed to be meeting with the CEO from SLH!”
Sebastian’s frown gets even deeper, and then he looks behind me and spots the single table in the middle. “I’m supposed to be meeting with CEOs from Tokyo,” he murmurs, then walks over to the table.
“Wait-!” I cry out, but then he picks something up from the table - a tablet with a video paused?
“What is this?” He asks as I come to a stop next to him, then I reach over and press play.
At first, a bunch of cartoon hearts float by, then “Happy Valentine’s Day” comes into view… along with the naughty faces of my brother Isaac and Elijah Somersett!
“What in the world….”
“Hey, tarts, I am sure you are both standing there looking as confused as an average bloke who mistakenly walked into a gay bar, but rest assured, nothing is out of the ordinary,” Isaac says, the grin on his face growing even more prominent.
“What Isaac is trying to say is that he and I have planned this little get together for the two of you a month in advance already. We had a feeling you would be so wrapped up in work that you would have forgotten about the day you both love.”
I look at Sebastian as Elijah says this and he gives me a coy smile. “You forgot as well?” he asks with a cheeky smile and I chuckle.
“I did, yes,” I say, shaking my head but then something occurs to me. “Wait, what about-”
“Now I am sure you’re wondering what happened to your most important meetings. Rest assured, they have been moved over to tomorrow, in advance, I might add by your lovely PA's who were in on this plan, to give you a chance to spend this evening together.” Isaac says, then leans his chin on Elijah’s shoulder.
Elijah winks and scoffs. “Now, forget about your bloody work and start focusing on your marriage. Who else am I going to hold a candle to with my own relationship? Get on with it, start loving and appreciating one another again and for god sake, don’t let your love of work come in between your marriage again!”
“I think what Elijah is trying to say is enjoy the evening and Happy Valentine’s Day!” Isaac says, then pops a wink before the screen went black.
Sebastian scoffs, then puts the tablet back before turning to me.
“You look beautiful as always, petite pâquerette,” he says as a gentle look slips into his eyes. He then reaches out and wraps his arms around me, and I can’t help but sink into his embrace.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I murmur, tears suddenly slipping down my cheeks when I hear him calling me that old endearment. “How did we get to the point where our family has to be underhanded just so we can spend some time together?”
I feel him stiffen, but then he lets out a long sigh. “I’ve missed you as well, Elena, so bloody much that I am not even sure how I’ve been functioning this entire time. But I promise you now,” he says, then grips my shoulders and looks into my eyes.
“I will never push you or our children to the side again. That stops today. You are my treasure and so much more important than any business meeting.”
I nod, wiping the tears from my cheeks; thank God for waterproof mascara. “I promise as well.”
Sebastian leans into me and then kisses my forehead. “I forgot how it felt like home being in your arms. I love you so much.” He says, embracing me once more.
“I love you too!”
We stood there for a few minutes before making our way to our table. “Let’s get on with this, then shall we?” He says, pulling out my chair for me to sit in.
That evening we spoke about everything under the sun, everything we’ve been missing about one another and what has been happening in our business lives. We spoke about the children and how they’ve grown up to be perfect little things with their own little personalities.
After this, Sebastian booked us into one of his hotels and we made love until my voice became hoarse from screaming, then fell asleep holding one another.
Of course, the next morning we did our usual ritual of washing one another under a hot shower, before making love once more.
I can’t believe how we both were so blindsided with work that we let our marriage and little family fall to the wayside. Well, it ends here; I will no longer put anything in front of my family ever again. No matter how important it might be to my working life.
I won’t allow my little family to become the second choice in my life; no one deserves to feel like they’re not important to the one they love.
Of course, it's thanks to Isaac and Elijah poking their nose into our personal lives, that Sebastian and I see clearly now. I must remember to thank those two tarts (not to mention our lovely PAs!) properly later on.
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
I stared at my laptop, not believing what I was seeing… Then I let out a shriek so loud that even my mother came running into my room.“What in the world is going on, Elena?” she cried out, staring at me with eyes as big as saucers. I turn my laptop screen around and point towards it, “I got accepted, mother! Harvard has accepted my application!” I respond with glee, to a very confused mother.She raised one expertly plucked eyebrow at me, “Excuse me? Harvard, as in The States?”Fighting the urge to roll my eyes at her, I nod and could not help but grin.Harvard Law School, my dream Uni has accepted me! Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing could knock me off this high. I’ve done it! I have proven to myself and my family that I could get somewhere without their influence. I mean, I could have chosen Cambridge or Oxford, but that would be too close to home and the Wiltshire name. I would immediately hav
Dressed in a burgundy empire evening dress with a sweetheart neckline and cap sleeves, I put on my Mary Jane Louboutins and was ready to face the Dumonts. I left my hair to cascade in curls down my back and didn’t bother with over the top makeup. I had no one to impress, so why bother with frivolities? As I descend our winding staircase, I spot my sister in the foyer. She was on the phone and seemed rather upset. The clicking of my heels alerts her to my presence and she kills her call. Turning to face me, she plasters a fake smile onto her face and walks towards me and catches my frown. “Wedding problems,” she answers with the roll of her eyes. I knew she was lying, but who am I to say anything? She clearly did not want to tell me what was going on with her.I offer her a tight smile, “Eliana, you know…” I start, but decided against it with the shake of my head, “Never mind. Is everything ready for this evening?”
You could hear a pin drop. Eliana, my sweet sister, would be causing a scandal with her news. The worst type of scandal in the upper class and nobility circles. Affairs and babies born out of wedlock. Sebastian had gone pale, my parents were reeling from this news and the Dumonts? Well it seems that even they did not know this last little titbit. Mirabelle walks towards them, “You’re pregnant?! A child born out of wedlock, how shameful!” She shrieks and I could tell this upset her incredibly. “I knew there was something about you that I didn’t like.” Eliana throws her head back and laughs, or rather cackles, “Mirabelle, there will be no scandal. Robert and I will wed before the child is born. Then you will finally be rid of me.” I do not think I have ever heard my sister speak in such an acid tone, especially not towards Mirabelle Dumont. I could feel the shame radiating from where my parents were seated. Mirabelle goes completely
A knock at my bedroom door draws me out of my reverie. I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide in here forever. “Elena?” came the voice of my father. This made me frown. He hardly ever came into my room. I would have expected it to be mother or Eliana to run after me.Not the head of our family.“Come in, father,” I called out, then I sat up, straightening myself out as a lady should. He then opens the door and pokes his head in. “May I come in?”I nod and grab a tissue from my bedside table to dab my eyes with. Did he honestly expect me to tell him he could not enter my room?My father takes a seat on my bed and takes my hand in his, “Elena, I do not wish for you to go through with this marriage.” he starts abruptly, causing me to stare at him in surprise. Didn’t he just agree with everyone downstairs?“What do you mean by that, father? You just agreed with everyone downstairs that I should g
“This one looks beautiful, Elena!”Can you guess where I am right now? What a way to spend a peaceful Sunday.Currently swaddled in lace and silk, my mother and Mirabelle had kidnapped me so we could go hunting for a wedding dress. “Why can’t I just wear Eliana’s?” I had asked, and both of them looked like I had spat in their faces.Okay, then.So here I was, being a doll to my mother and Mirabelle. After trying on at least 10 more dresses, I started losing my temper.“Let me find my own dress, mother. Give me a few minutes,” I say in an exasperated tone to the surprise of the two ladies with me. If this was going to be my wedding, I might as well choose the damn dress since I didn’t get to choose the groom.I walk into the back section of London Bride Couture and sigh. This wasn’t how I pictured myself when I eventually had to choose a wedding dress. I thought I would be a lot happ
I spin around at the voice behind me and look straight into the eyes of Sebastian. Anger flared in his honey-coloured eyes as he took in the scene before him; Nicholas cupping my cheeks and my arms around his waist.I feel the anger radiating off Nicholas when he lets go of me and faces Sebastian, “We were just saying our goodbyes. There is no reason to be rude, Sebastian.” He says, meeting Sebastian’s angry stare.Wait, why the heck was he so angry, anyway?Stepping forward, I walk towards my supposed fiance and meet his gaze, “Nicholas was my intended before they forced me to marry you, Sebastian. I am saying goodbye to him, that is all.” I say to him and he peers down at me.“Irrelevant. I will not have another Eliana as my betrothed. You will go with me right this instant as we need to discuss a few things regarding our pending marriage.” He says and turns on his heel, “I don’t like to be kept wait
After fixing up my makeup, I leave the confines of my bedroom and walk downstairs. Might as well strike the iron while it’s hot. My mother’s words are still ringing in my ears as I descend the stairs. Could I be the wife to Sebastian as she was to my father?I spot Sebastian’s back and he turns around as soon as he hears the clicking of my heels. At this vantage point, I had to admit that he looked exceptionally handsome; raven hair that was a little long with a fringe that fell in his eyes. His facial hair was a medium stubble beard trimmed to perfection. Tall, yet broad and muscular. Think of Chris Evans.He looks up at me and an unfamiliar expression crosses his face when he takes in my stony expression. Was he going to try and intimidate or insult me again?I come to a stop in front of him, “Sebastian,” I say and he holds out his hand, palm up.“Walk with me, Elena. I think there are a few things we need to discuss,
1am - The morning of my wedding day.My mother and Mirabelle have been fussing over everything all week and it was driving me crazy. They had my walk-in closet cleaned out yesterday and they delivered my clothes to Sebastian’s villa in Kensington. My home from tomorrow.Heck, from today.I haven’t been able to sleep a wink because of nerves. Sebastian and I have been keeping our distance from one another since our kiss in his office, not that I mind! He threw me for a loop with that kiss, and I haven’t been able to think straight since it happened. At our rehearsal dinner, we were amiable, but as soon as it ended we went our separate ways. We barely made eye contact, and I think Sebastian was as awkward as I was.Rolling around under my covers, I sigh in frustration and decide to give up.The public had suspected something had happened, but the news outlets were too scared to report anything bad about the Dumonts. So now they were