Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“I’ll send someone to get your things,” he volunteers. “Or if you’d prefer, we can arrange for Sybil to bring them this weekend.”
“I’d much rather have Sybil bring them,” I admit.
He nods, as if he expected as much. “Headmistress Gilbert is aware of the incident that occurred, so you’ll be starting correspondence next week. That should give you some time to rest and settle in.”
“Okay.”
“I need to go grab something,” he says. “Wait here a minute.”
I sink into the fluffy bed without protest because I have no intentions of going anywhere. Initially, I thought it would take me some time to feel comfortable here, but I realize that I already do. Honestly, though, it wouldn’t matter if we were living in the tiny cottage together in Nantucket. The only thing that matters is that I’m with Sebastian.
It’s crazy how much I miss him, even when he’s only gone for a minute in the other room. I briefly wonder if this is normal, and then quickly realize I don’t care. Nothing about our relationship is normal or typical, and I need to throw those expectations out the window.
“I have something I want to give you.” He returns and sits down on the bed in nothing but his briefs, and I have difficulty concentrating with so much of his beautiful body on display. He seems to notice when a smile curves his lips.
“Focus, Stella.”
“Sorry.” My eyes move to his. “You are just so… distracting.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” His smile morphs into a different expression, and if I didn’t know any better, I might think he was nervous.
“What do you want to give me?”
“I know we haven’t done anything the traditional way,” he says. “Everything has moved at lightning speed between us, and there’s still a lot to figure out. So, with that being said, I’m not looking for an answer right now. In fact, I don’t want one right now. I want you to finish school, and have our baby, and after you’ve given it adequate thought, you can tell me what you want.”
My heart hammers against my rib cage as Sebastian opens his palm to reveal a ring. A stunning art deco piece with what appears to be a canary diamond right in the center.
“It was my mother’s.” He reaches for my hand and slides it onto my right ring finger, as if to prove that this doesn’t mean we’re engaged. But it doesn’t change the way I’m staring at it, or the way my heart feels right now.
“Sebastian, I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything,” he insists. “Someday, when you’re ready, I want you to be my wife. But until then, please just wear this and know without a doubt, I am devoted to you in every way. The past is behind us now, and every time you look at this ring, I want you to consider what your future looks like. With or without me.”
I reach out to touch his face, and then drag his lips to mine. It would be so easy to give him an answer right now. In my heart, I know nothing will change. But we have all the time in the world to prove it.
EPILOGUE
STELLA
“HOLY MOTHER EFFING SHIT,” Sybil hisses as she nudges me in the side with her elbow. “Did you see this?”
“What?” I ask absently as I scan the room and offer a polite smile to the guests as they make their rounds.
“Look.” She shoves her phone into my hand, and my eyes shoot up in surprise when I see the image in the article entitled A Socialite’s Fall from Grace. The mugshot of Louisa isn’t doing her complexion any favors, and it’s obvious that prison orange is definitely not in her color wheel.
“What did she do?” I whisper.
“Apparently, she got caught skimming from her father’s company after he cut her off. Fraud, embezzlement, there’s a whole laundry list of charges.”
“That’s insane,” I murmur.
“Not really.” Sybil snickers. “She thought the whole world was her playground, and now she’s getting her just desserts if you ask me.”
“True.” I shrug, but even as I say it, I can’t help feeling a little disappointed that she never amounted to anything. In my mind, I always imagined there would be a day when Louisa had an awakening and grew out of her pettiness. But clearly that didn’t happen.
“Want to hear the craziest part?” Sybil asks.
“There’s more?” I cringe.
“Uh-huh.” She nods. “She’s going to the same prison as Lila.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” I roll my eyes. “Now they can scheme together.”
“Or against each other,” she says. “At least for the next ten years.”
I shake my head, and as I consider it, I realize that it doesn’t bother me in the least. When Lila was arrested for fraud and extortion a year ago, I wasn’t even shocked. I haven’t seen her since the day I told her to get out of my life, and when Sebastian admitted that she’d blackmailed him, I had no interest in ever seeing her again. As for my father, he still has at least another fifteen years on his sentence. I’ve forgiven him for my own sanity, but I still haven’t decided if I want to forget him entirely. If a day ever comes that I want to see him, it will be on my terms. For now, he’s not going anywhere regardless.