Chapter 486

Sebastian had wrestled with his thoughts for a long time before finally mustering the courage to voice what had been weighing on his mind.

As soon as the words left his lips, he fixed his gaze on Citrine, clearly waiting for

her response.

Citrine paused, caught slightly off guard. It took her a moment to recall the man who'd been sitting beside her earlier that day.

She glanced thoughtfully at Sebastian before answering, "Oh, him? He's Mr. Fuller's assistant."

Sebastian frowned. "You two..."

Before he could finish, Citrine cut him off with a light laugh. "Mr. Fuller just sent him over to offer me a drink."

The tension in Sebastian's chest finally eased when he realized there was nothing between them. All the irritation and gloom that had been building up inside him seemed to vanish in an instant.

Suddenly, Citrine remembered the question Sebastian had asked back in the private room earlier that evening. She quickly realized he'd been jealous.

An amused smile tugged at her lips, and she felt the urge to tease him. "So, what did you think was going on between us?"

"I, uh..." Sebastian pressed his lips together, unable to get the words out.

He looked so flustered, it was almost endearing. Citrine couldn't help but laugh.

But it was a shame, really...

A shame he wasn't the primary personality.

For some reason, her mind drifted to Sebastian's main persona-the one who was arrogant, violent, and thoroughly unpleasant. Compared to that, she much preferred this gentler side of him.

Sebastian had no idea what Citrine was thinking, but from the look on her face, he could tell she was toying with him. Oddly enough, although he was the one being teased, he found himself enjoying it.

After hesitating for a moment, Sebastian grinned and asked, "I just realized, it's been a year since college started. Do you have anyone you like?"

She was beautiful, talented, and admired by many at school. He couldn't help but wonder if there was someone special in her life.

Citrine saw right through his cautious probing and replied coolly, "No."

Sebastian's eyes burned with curiosity. "Then, what kind of person do you like, Citrine?"

What kind of person?

Citrine frowned slightly, mulling over

the

. In her last life, she'd e erienced love, so theel

question was harder than

Lit

Seemed.

After a pause, she spoke carefully, "Someone who loves me

unconditionally, who'd never bol nét

or lie to me. I suppose... I'd fall for

someone like that."

Even as she said it, Citrine knew her answer was hopelessly idealistic—such a person probably didn't exist.

Sebastian's smile faded as her words sank in. Thinking of why he'd first

approached her, a wave of guilt washed over him.

He'd gotten close to Citrine only

after discovering her connection to

the Viridis Medical Institute

overseas hoping to secure a spot for his mother at the hospital. But in

the end, he'd been too late. His mother had already slipped into a coma.

Sebastian pressed his lips together, then quietly asked, "What if you found out

one day that you'd been lied to? What would you do?"

Citrine simply smiled, saying nothing.

Sebastian didn't push for an answer. He noticed her ears, red from the cold, and, without thinking, unwound the scarf from around his neck.

Before Citrine could react, he draped the warm scarf gently around her shoulders,

its soft fabric carrying a trace of his clean, subtle scent.

Citrine looked up, and for a moment, their eyes met.

She opened her mouth to speak, "You-"

Sebastian interrupted, "Don't move."

"It's freezing. Just keep it on."

His gentle voice floated down from above.

Citrine stopped protesting, letting Sebastian tie his own scarf snugly around her neck.