53 A Stepmother’s Fury
Sebastian’s penate number glowed on my screen like a beacon of hope. I couldn’t stop staring at it, wondering what this meant Important people don’t give out their personal contact information unless they want you to use it.
For once everything seemed to be turning around. I had my mother’s bracelet back Sebastian Sinclair himself had taken an interest in me, and tomorrow we would have dinner together
But where? Touldn’t invite someone like Sebastian to just any restaurant. He probably dined at Micheln–starred establishments regularly. My apartment was out of the question too – Too intimate, too soon.
I called Vera in a mild panic
“What’s wrong? she answered immediately. “You sound breathless
“I need a favor. I said, twisting a strand of hair nervously “Sebastian Sinclair agreed to have dinner with the tomorrow I need somewhere impressive but private.
Vera’s squeal nearly shattered my eardrum. “Sebastian Sinclair? THE Sebastian Sinclair? The one who bought your bracelet?”
“Yes I confirmed, unable to keep the smile from my voice: “And I have no idea where
to take him
Say Do more? Vera declared. “My family just renovated the private dining room at The Celestial. Fl book it for you tomorrow night. No one will disturb you
Steel flooded through me. The Celestial was one of the most exclusive restaurants in
the city, and Vera’s family owned it. You’re a lifesaver. I owe you.
plaks, daring I want all the details afterward, she demanded before hanging in
kly texted Sebastian the restaurant information, feeling a flutter when he responded alpost immediately with a simple “Perfect Looking forward to it
Those four words should have made the smile like a teenager, but they did
an T
A returned to my sketches with renewed energy. For the fird Fine in shonths Elett genuinely hopeful about something. The bracelet armed his est caught the light remanding so of my mother’s strength Im getting stronger Mom
whispered. “T
The pence of moment shattered when my office door burst open slamming against the wall with such force that the framed designs trembled
Tanya
snya Turner my stepmother stood in the doorway her face contorted with rad Her perfectly manicured nails dug into her designer handbag, knuckles white with
Tension
“You conniving little bitch,” she spat, stalking toward me
set down my pencil with deliberate calm, refusing to match her hysteria. “Good morning to you too. Tanya.”
“Don’t play innocent with me.” She loomed over my desk. “First you try to deny your dying sister a simple wedding request, and now you’re throwing yourself at Sebastian Sinclar?
So news had traveled fast. I wasn’t surprised.
I’m not throwing myself at anyone, I replied coolly. “And I don’t recall inviting you Into my office
Tanya’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Your father built this company. This is as much
car space as yours.
Cerection
hours of work
my father and I built this company My designs, my talent, my endlesK
gestured around us
around us. “None of which involved you
1
Her sostris flared “You ungrateful child. After everything we’ve done for you
is
aldez help the barter laugh that escaped me. Everything you’ve done for me? Like whn Destroying any parents marriage? Making me feel unwelcome my own home? Stealing my face for your precious daughter
“Ivy is dreing” rana shrieked “And your selfish behavior is making her worse! She had
thier klas ght after
ght after wanna shout our shameters display at the action.
another seetha & les
Aly fingers instinctively touched my mother’s bracelet. “How comentent that her health derenonites whenever something good happens for me.
Tanya gasped. “You think she’s faking The doctors-
think Ivy has always gotten what she wanted through roanipulation. I cut in “And You’ve enabled her every step of the way
“Sebastian Sincian is only using you fanya hissed, changing tactics. “Men like bam don’t seriously pursue women like you.
Each word was designed to cut deep, to reinforce the insecurities she’d been planting for years. But this time, they bounced off my newly fortified armor
Women like me? Lechoed, standing up slowly. “You mean women who earn their own success instead of leeching off others? Women who don’t use illness as a weapon?”
Tanya’s face flushed an ugly shade of red. “You’ve always been jealous of Ivy.”
“Jealous?” I repeated incredulously. “Of what? Her backstabbing nature? Her willingness to take someone else’s fiancé? Or perhaps her terminal diagnosis that miraculously stretches on for months past the doctors‘ predictions?”
“How dare you” Tanya’s voice rose to a shriek. “Ivy could die any day!”
“She’s been dying any day‘ for six months,” I replied evenly. “Long enough to steal my wedding, my fiance, and attempt to steal my company shares.
I knew I was being cruel, but years of bottled resentment were finally spilling over. My stepmother had never shown me an ounce of kindness; she didn’t deserve my
compassion now
Sebastian Sinclair will see through you. Tanya sneered, her voice dropping to a
venomous whisper Just like Alistair did.”
Miscair didn’t see through the corrected her “He was manipulated by you and y into believing her last wish was worth destroving our six–year relationship
H was worth it. Tanya shot back. “My daughter deserves happiness my her final days.
“Even if 12’s built on someone else’s misery asked quietly
the world doesert revolve around you Hazel Tanya’s lipoodled to disgust. Though eyestry you think it does, with your pathetic attempts to catch Sebastian Sinclair’s
Fattention.
1 stood straighter, something inside me hardening against her barbs. “I didn’t seek his attention. He sought mine. And unlike Alistair, Sebastian seems to recognize manipulation when he sees it
Tanya’s eyes flashed dangerously. “You think you re so clever, don’t you? Always the victing poor abandoned Hazel
“I’m not a victim anymore, I stated firmly. “And I’m done letting you and your family treat me like one.
Her face twisted with rage. “You’ll regret crossing us. Your father-
“My father lost any right to my loyalty when he chose you over my mother, I Interrupted. “And we both know she died of a broken heart, not just cancer.
This struck a nerve. Tanya’s carefully maintained facade cracked completely.
Your mother was weak!” she shouted. “She couldn’t hold onto her man, and now you
can’t either! Like mother, like daughter!”
Something snapped inside me. “My mother was worth ten of you. She was kind. talented, and genuine – everything you pretend to be but aren’t.
“You little–Tanya stepped forward menacingly.
“I suggest you leave my office,” I said, my voice ice–cold. “Before you do something you’ll regret
“The only thing I regret.” Tanya snarled. ‘is not convincing your father to cut you out of
his life years ago.
I smiled thinly. “Yet here I am, thriving despite your best efforts. While you’re still just what you’ve always been – a gold–digger who trapped a married man and raised children just like herself.
Rendered speechless with rage, Tanya grabbed a folder from my desk and swung it directly at my head
