Chapter 4 TURN BETWEEN LOYALTY AND LOVE

Sebastian remained rooted to the spot long after Scarlett had left, the weight of her words echoing in his mind. "Think carefully, Sebastian. Some things can't be undone."

He didn't move. His mind was a storm of confusion, anger, and disbelief. Voss backing out? That wasn't supposed to happen. He had orchestrated this merger with precision, every detail calculated. Yet, Scarlett's revelation about Ethan being her family-his family-had thrown everything into chaos.

For years, Sebastian had built his empire with a singular focus: control. Emotions had no place in his world. Love had never been part of the equation. But Scarlett... Scarlett had cracked the surface. In just a few days, she had infiltrated his thoughts, stirred something in him he'd long buried.

With a sharp exhale, he finally turned away from the window. He hadn't realized how tightly his fists were clenched until the muscles in his arms began to ache. Family? He had spent his entire life trying to escape his father's shadow, trying to sever any ties to the man who had shown him nothing but cruelty. He had no room for sentiment. And now, Scarlett-her words still reverberating in his ears-had pulled him back into a world he thought he'd left behind.

His phone buzzed once more, pulling him from his thoughts. It was a message from Damien, his closest ally, someone he trusted with everything.

"We need to talk. Now."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed. Whatever Damien wanted, it couldn't be good. But he couldn't ignore it. Not now. Not with everything at stake.

He grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and made his way out of the office. As he walked down the sleek, polished hallway of his penthouse, he could still feel Scarlett's presence lingering in the air. Her scent. Her voice. Her plea for him to reconsider.

But what was he supposed to do? The Vosses had been a thorn in his side for years, and now Scarlett, despite the vulnerability he had glimpsed in her, was asking him to back down. To give up power.

He refused to show weakness. Not again.

---

When he entered the private study, Damien was already waiting, leaning against the marble fireplace, his face dark with concern.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Damien said with a raised eyebrow, trying to break the tension in the room. But Sebastian wasn't in the mood for small talk.

"Talk to me," Sebastian ordered, his voice sharper than he intended.

Damien sighed and took a seat, motioning for Sebastian to join him. "You've seen the reports. Ethan's pulling out of the deal. He's using every angle to destroy us from within. But there's something you don't know."

Sebastian sat across from Damien, his eyes narrowing. He had known something was off, but he hadn't been able to put the pieces together. "What are you talking about?"

Damien leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Ethan's pulling out for more than just business reasons. He's trying to get under your skin. He's discovered something. Something personal."

Sebastian's chest tightened. "Personal? What the hell are you talking about?"

Damien hesitated before speaking. "I don't know all the details, but I overheard a conversation. Ethan is aware of the... connection between you and Scarlett."

Sebastian's mind went blank. His heart skipped a beat. Scarlett?

He hadn't told Damien about their encounter-about the strange pull he felt every time she was near. But now, hearing Damien say her name in this context, something shifted inside him. The last thing he wanted was for Scarlett to be involved in his world. He had already let her into his thoughts in ways he hadn't allowed anyone else.

"Are you saying that Voss is threatening to expose her?" Sebastian's voice was cold, but inside, a storm was raging. He hadn't allowed himself to care about anyone for so long. Scarlett was different. But if Voss was using her against him...

Damien gave a grim nod. "We don't have all the information yet, but I'm sure of one thing-Ethan is playing a dangerous game. And Scarlett is caught in the middle."

Sebastian stood abruptly, anger boiling within him. "I should've known better than to let her get close. This is my fight. Not hers."

Damien stood as well, his expression hardening. "This is more than just a fight for control, Sebastian. It's about trust. About what you're willing to sacrifice to win."

Sebastian's mind raced. The idea of trusting anyone-let alone Scarlett-felt like a betrayal of everything he had worked for. But there was something in her eyes that made him question his beliefs, something in her presence that made him wonder if he could still be human.

He turned away, walking toward the window, his hand gripping the edge of the glass. "I can't afford to lose this battle. I've spent my whole life building this empire. I won't let anyone-anyone-destroy it."

"You're not alone in this, Sebastian," Damien said quietly. "But sometimes, the cost of winning isn't worth the price you'll pay."

Sebastian remained silent, his thoughts a whirlwind. What if Damien's right? What if everything he had built would come crashing down because of his refusal to let anyone in?

As the silence stretched on, Sebastian felt a familiar ache in his chest-the same ache he had tried to bury for years. And just as he was about to speak, his phone buzzed once again.

The screen lit up with a single, chilling message:

"Scarlett's in danger. Ethan's coming for her."

Sebastian's blood ran cold. His heart hammered in his chest as his fingers hovered over the phone, the weight of the situation finally hitting him. Scarlett. The woman who had managed to breach the walls he'd spent so long constructing. The woman who had somehow, without warning, become more important to him than he ever thought possible.

He had to make a choice.

Would he save her? Or would he let the game of power consume them both?