Chapter 4 Like a Servant
679 Words
Whitney woke up in the middle of the night, burning with fever.
She tried to call out, but her throat was so raw that no sound came out.
Sebastian's room was right next door. He hadn't checked on her once. All his attention was on Brenda.
Just then, Sebastian pushed the door open. When he saw how flushed Whitney was, concern flickered across his face. "You're burning up. Why didn't you call me? I'm taking you to the hospital."
Before she could respond, a cry came from down the hall. "Sebastian... My stomach hurts..."
Sebastian's hands, already reaching for Whitney, stopped mid-motion.
Whitney grabbed his sleeve with what little strength she had left. Her eyes begged him.
He hesitated—just for a second. Then he pulled away. "I'm sorry, Whitney. Brenda's carrying my baby. I can't let anything happen to her. Wait here. I'll come back for you."
He walked out and didn't even look back.
Whitney lay there, feeling like her tears were evaporating before they could fall.
With the last of her strength, she dialed 911. Then everything went dark.
*****
When she opened her eyes again, Sebastian was sitting there. "You finally awake."
His handsome face was etched with worry—it looked real enough. But somehow, it just made her want to laugh.
Whitney turned away from him. But the tears were already spilling over, flooding her heart.
Sebastian said, "I'm sorry, Whitney. I panicked. I wasn't thinking straight..."
"Get out. I don't want to see you." Whitney's voice was flat.
"I said I'm sorry." He sighed. "My family wants me to take care of Brenda and the baby. I don't have a choice. Just hold on a little longer. Once she has the baby, I'll send her away. But right now, you have to think about the Cole family. Okay?"
Whitney turned back to face him. Her eyes were full of pain. "Sebastian, I just want to ask you one thing. Do you not believe me?"
Sebastian went quiet. Then he looked away. "It's in the past."
'It's in the past.'
Whitney had her answer. She smiled, but there was no happiness in it.
When she was discharged, Sebastian didn't come to pick her up.
But when she got home, she found him in the kitchen. The man who never lifted a finger around the house was clumsily trying to cook... for Brenda.
Even back when they were most in love, he'd hardly ever cooked for her.
He always said he had a thing about cleanliness, couldn't stand the smell of grease. Whitney had accepted it. For years, she'd never asked him to set foot in the kitchen.
Guess it was never about the kitchen.
Sebastian looked up when she walked in. He handed her some ingredients, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
He said, "Brenda wants creamy mushroom soup. I don't know how to make it. You're good at this. Make some for her."
Whitney's voice was cold. "No. I just got out of the hospital, and you want me to take care of your other woman?"
Sebastian's face hardened again for Brenda.
She'd known him long enough to read that look. She knew what it meant. For Arielle's sake, for the company, she had no choice but to swallow it.
Whitney took the ingredients without a word, just like a servant.
While making the soup, some of the hot broth splashed onto her hand. She winced and glanced toward the living room, looking for some sign that he'd noticed. Instead, she saw Sebastian feeding Brenda grapes, one by one.
It reminded Whitney of something.
"What did I do to deserve Mr. Cole waiting on me hand and foot?" she once said.
She remembered him laughing at that. But he never stopped. "If it makes you happy, I'll wait on you forever."
And now...
A tear slipped off her face and fell into the soup. She wondered if it would make it taste salty.
Whitney wiped her eyes quietly and carried a plate out of the kitchen.
- Writer
