Chapter 30

Chapter 30

BLAIRE

I stretched my arm only to feel my side cold and empty. I slowly open

my eyes and notice that it seems undisturbed, as if no one slept on it

last night. I came to the conclusion that Sebastian didn't sleep here last

night. It seems like Sebastian didn't come back to our room last night.

I looked at the wall clock to check the time. It's only six in the morning.

He's probably buried in his work; that's why he didn’t manage to sleep

here last night. I'm still feeling heavy from the events yesterday. My

heart is still filled with fear and anxiety about what might be its effect on

our relationship.

Despite the fear lingering in my heart, I still tried to get up and cheer

myself on. I decided to prepare breakfast for Sebastian before he went

to work. I had a quick run in the bathroom to wash my face and brush

my teeth. I didn't bother taking a bath since I might miss Sebastian.

Once I'm done changing into my usual clothes, I go out of my room and

go straight to the kitchen.

I found the household help in the kitchen, busy preparing for breakfast.

“Do you need anything, Miss Blaire?" Candice asked when she finally

noticed my presence.

It seems like everyone was almost done with the meal, and there's

nothing more I can do to help. That's when I decided to prepare a cup

of coffee for Sebastian and bring it to his office.

“Just a cup of coffee, Candice,” I said.

“Oh, no problem. Why don't you take your seat, and I'll bring your

coffee to your table?” she replied with a sweet smile.

“Ahm, actually, it wasn't for me. I was planning to bring Sebastian a cup

of coffee. It seems like he had a rough night,” I said.

Her smile immediately fell from her face. It didn’t take long for me to

realize that something was not right. She tried to put back the smile on

her face when she noticed my reaction.

“Mister Foster left the house last night,” Candice said, frowning.

“He did?” I responded in surprise. I thought he spent the night in his

office. I wasn't expecting that he wouldn't spend the night here at all.

Candice tried to lighten up the mood when he noticed my reaction. “He

probably didn't want to disturb you last night,” Candice explained.

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Chapter 30

It makes sense now why she seemed quite surprised when I told her

that I wanted to bring Sebastian a cup of coffee. I tried to force a smile

on my face, pretending that Sebastian's obvious attempt to avoid me

bothers me at all.

“Yeah, probably,” I replied. “I'll just go back to my room. Before I turned

around, I heard Candice’s voice again.

“Are you going to join them for breakfast, or do you want me to bring

your food into your room?” she asked.

I frowned upon thinking who she was referring to if Sebastian was not

here. “Them?”

“Your father and your stepmother are here. That's why we were

preparing them some breakfast,” she answered innocently.

If they are here, then who's staying with Catherine at the hospital?

I hadn't noticed that I'd been spac ing out for quite some time now, not

until Candice called my attention. “Miss Blaire, are you okay?"

I quickly snapped out of reverie and pretended as if nothing were

bothering me. “I'll probably eat in my room, Candice. Thank you. I didn’t

wait for her answer. I immediately turned around and walked briskly

towards my room. But it seems like I ran out of luck when I bumped into

my father and Stacey on my way to my room.

“Good morning, Blaire.” Stacey greeted me with extra enthusiasm

today. It was as if she had something to celebrate. “I hope you had a

good night,” she added.

“Yes, I did, Stacey. Thank you. How thoughtful of you,” I replied with a

hint of sarcasm.

To my surprise, instead of taking offense as she would usually do, she

smirked, giving the impression that she knew something I didn’t. “Of

course, even if you didn’t come from me, you're still my child.”

“Drop the act, Stacey. We both know you never treated me like your

own child.”

“Blaire, your mother is being nice to you. Quit being a brat,” my father

interrupted me.

“It's fine, hon. She's probably in a bad mood because of Sebastian. We

should understand her now more than ever,” she said.

“I'm not. And why would I be upset because of Sebastian? We're

perfectly fine,” I responded.

She raised an eyebrow, a sly smile playing on her lips. “Fine? Are you

sure?”

“What are you implying, Stacey?” I retorted, uneasy about the

insinuations in her tone.

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Chapter 30

The air in the room thickened with unspoken tension as Stacey

continued to wear that knowing expression. It felt like she was dancing

around a hidden truth, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that there

was more to her words than met the eye.

“Oh, nothing, dear. If you say both of you are fine, then I believe. I'm

sure Sebastian will inform you that he volunteered to take care of

Catherine in order for us to come home. and rest for a while,” she said.

I wanted to rip off that fake smile on her face. I clenched my fist, trying

to hold back my anger. I'm not entirely sure to whom I am pointing my

anger. But I'm furious right. now, and my heart is filled with rage.

Despite all of that, I tried to remain calm: I will not give Stacey the

satisfaction of seeing me lose my wits.

But I failed miserably because, despite my efforts, it seems like Stacey

has an eye to see right through me.

“He didn’t tell you, did he?” she asked. “Oh, my! I'm so sorry! If I knew

he never told. you, I wouldn't say anything,” she said as if she really

meant it. But I was perfectly aware. that she meant the opposite.

“No, it's fine, Stacey. Besides, she’s his sister-in-law. Of course,

Sebastian would volunteer on behalf of me. Surely, you wouldn't think

he's interested in Catherine; that's why he’s doing that, would you?"

One thing I'm sure about Stacey is that she wouldn't dare to break her

innocent facade in front of my father.

She forced a fake smile on her face before she answered. "Of course

not, dear.

“Then, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go to my room now.”

I didn’t wait for them to respond. I immediately turned towards the stairs

and climbed. up to my room. Upon reaching my room, I quickly looked

for my phone. Once I did, I dialed Sebastian's number. It took him a few

rings before he finally answered.

He remained silent when he answered the phone. I wait for a few

seconds before I speak. “Sebastian?” I started, but I was surprised

when I heard a female voice on the

other line.

“Hi, Blaire! I'm sorry, Sebastian is in the bathroom. He's taking a

shower before he goes to work. Do you want me to give the phone to

him?"

I was left speechless for a minute. There's so much going on inside my

head. My legs suddenly felt weak, so I slowly sat down on the edge of

the bed.

“Blaire, are you still there?” She repeated, her voice carrying an

innocent tone that belied any potential harm. It was evident, though,

that her answering Sebastian's phone wasn't accidental. There was a

deliberate undertone, a subtle message she intended for me-a

reminder that Sebastian had spent the night with her.

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Chapter 30

“Catherine? What are you doing with my phone?”

847%6

My heart sank as I heard Sebastian's voice on the other end. I fought

back the rising tide of tears, attempting to compose myself before

responding. It didn’t take long before Sebastian called my name, his

voice carrying a mix of concern and confusion. “Blaire?”

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, attempting to quell the storm of

emotions within me before answering. The weight of the situation

pressed upon me, and I knew that how I responded would shape the

course of the conversation and possibly the trajectory of my

relationship with Sebastian.

“I'm here,” I finally replied, my voice carrying a fragile steadiness.

Opening my eyes, I confronted the reality that lay ahead-a conversation

that held the potential to unravel the threads of trust between us. There

was a pregnant pause lingering between us as I struggled to find the

words to say.

“I'm sorry I wasn't able to wake you up last night before I came here.

Catherine insisted. that she wanted me here, and given her difficult

situation, I couldn't say no,” he immediately explained.

But none of those words were comforting enough to lighten up the

heaviness that's slowly eating up my whole system. Instead, those

words only added fuel to the growing doubts and fear in my heart.

Catherine's voice interjected, her words a deliberate choice that cut

through the tension. “Sebastian, honey, can you please hand me a

glass of water?” she said.

The use of “honey” stung as a reminder of the familiarity they shared. I

clenched my fists, battling the surge of emotions threatening to engulf

me. “Sebastian, can we talk?” I requested, and my tone was a plea for

understanding.

His

response was measured: “I'll call you back in a few minutes.”

The line went silent, leaving me alone with the weight of the unfolding

situation. I paced the room, grappling with a torrent of emotions-

betrayal, insecurity, and the gnawing fear that the foundations of our

relationship were unraveling.

As I waited for Sebastian's call, my mind raced through a myriad of

scenarios. Was Catherine intentionally inserting herself into our

relationship, or was this an innocent coincidence? The uncertainty hung

in the air, casting a shadow over the once-clear path we had trod

together.

His words hung in the air, a heavy revelation that added layers to the

already tangled web of emotions. As Sebastian spoke, the weariness in

his voice hinted at a burden he hadn't anticipated carrying.

*Catherine wanted me there. She needed our support now more than

anything,” he

4/5

5/5

Chapter 30

explained, the weight of responsibility underscoring his words. The

unexpected turn of events left me grappling with conflicting emotions-

understanding the desire to

support family yet feeling the strain it placed on our relationship.

“Why didn't you tell me? We could have gone there together,” I asked,

trying to understand what happened. The lines between us seemed

blurry, and I worried that our connection was slipping away.

Sebastian explained, saying, “I'm not sure what will be your take on

this, Catherine and I's shared history. I just don't want it to be

awkward.”

given

His words hung in the air, leaving me torn between understanding the

unexpected situation and feeling uneasy about our privacy being

intruded upon.

“I know this is difficult, Blaire. But I need you to be more patient and

understanding,” Sebastian said with regret in his voice. The strains in

our relationship, influenced by external factors, made me question the

strength of the bond we had.

“I am, but until when, Sebastian? You don't expect me to stay on the

side while is trying to steal you away from me, do you?"

my

sister

“My Go d, Blaire! No one is trying to steal anyone! We are all trying our

best to make Catherine comfortable. Do you even care about her?

Have you even tried to put yourself in her shoes? She has brain cancer,

for Pete's sake! Your jealousy has no place in here right now.”

I felt a lump in my throat as I continued to listen to his hurtful words.

Each word feels like a knife piercing right through my heart. I remained

speechless. I don’t know how to react when Sebastian continues to

invalidate my feelings. Am I wrong for feeling this way?

“I have to go. I still have a meeting. Let's talk when I come home, he

said before hanging up the phone.

After ending the call, I felt alone, trying to figure out where our

relationship stood with all the complicated things that happened. I'm not

sure where this will take us.

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