Sweet
1539 Words
~ingrid-
“Good morning, sis.”
Alex’s voice came through the phone, soft but bright, which made me smile.
“Morning. How is the new school treating you?” I asked, pinning the phone between my ear and shoulder so I could keep stirring the pot. Sending him alone to a boarding school in a different city was hard, but necessary.
“It’s… amazing,” he said. “It looks way better than the pictures.”
"That's good to hear," I said, letting out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
His tone dropped. “Are you sure I’m supposed to be here? Sis… can your new job really afford all this?”
I forced a small laugh, ignoring the sudden tightness in my throat. “I hit the jackpot, didn’t I?” I said. If only he knew the jackpot came with a marriage certificate and a contract for my kidney.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked again.
Alex was smart; he knew when I was hiding things. But none of that mattered. All I wanted was for him to have a better life than mine.
“Think of it as an early birthday gift,” I deflected. “You’re turning thirteen soon. You’re not a kid anymore.”
“I still want to come home,” he groaned.
I can't be soft on him, I reminded myself. Staying at that school was the only way to give him a real future.
“I miss you, sis.”
“Miss you too,” I said.
"The company you work for… is it Hale Infrastructure Group?” he asked, his voice shifting to pure excitement.
I hesitated. “…Yes.”
“Seriously? Sis, do you know how big that is? That’s one of the top companies in the country!”
“Cool, right?”
“Super cool!” he said. “Have you met Mr. Hale yet?"
The kitchen door opened and Sebastian walked in, his eyes scanning the food before landing on me.
“I heard Mr. Hale is...” Alex continued.
“I’ll call you later,” I said, cutting him off quickly. “Bye.”
I lowered the phone. The kitchen suddenly felt quiet. Sebastian stood watching me.
"You’re cooking?” he asked. “You don't really need to. The maid can do that.”
He walked over to the fridge, pulled out a bottle of water, and took a drink.
Was this too much?
He glanced at me for a second, then leaned against the kitchen counter. "This is a lot for one person. Are you going to eat all this?" he asked, his eyes observing the food.
"Do you want..." I started, but didn't finish.
"I don't eat breakfast," he said, his eyes now on mine.
"Okay. I'll just give it out then," I said, turning back to the stove. The silence was awkward, and I didn't know where else to look.
"What do you want?" he asked suddenly.
I paused and turned to look at him, confused by the question. "I don't understand," I said. His expression was lazy, like it was too much effort to explain.
"You said you preferred if I bought you things," he said. "So, what do you want?"
As he spoke, he moved to the counter stool, sat down, and silently pointed at the pan of fried eggs.
I couldn't help but smile. I served him a plate of eggs and potatoes, setting it in front of him. He began to eat.
"So, what will it be?" he asked, his eyes coming back to me.
I was focused on watching him. He ate neatly.
"I don't really have anything I want right now," I said.
"A car?" he suggested. "Is that okay?"
I shook my head slightly. "I don't really need a car. I have you to take me anywhere," I said.
His fork paused mid-air. Having someone offer me something so massive, so casually, felt foreign.
"How about clothes?" I added quickly. I was still stunned by Lana. I had never worn clothes like the ones she had.
"Clothes?" he asked, lifting his head, his gaze locking onto mine.
"But you would need to come with me," I said, a genuine smile forming on my face.
He watched me for a moment. "Alright," he said, and went back to eating.
***
The glass doors of the boutique opened and it smelled like expensive leather, the kind you only notice on brand-new clothes.
A woman in a tailored black suit approached, greeting us warmly. I simply bowed back. She looked shocked for a second, but smiled. Sebastian didn't bother to look at her.
"Go ahead," Sebastian said. He walked over to a sofa, sat down, and pulled out a cigarette.
"You shouldn't be doing that," I said, my voice a bit high, almost scolding him.
He groaned, giving me a look, but put it back.
The saleslady glanced back and forth between us. "May I?" she asked, gesturing for me to follow as she showed me a few options.
"Are you Mr. Hale's girlfriend?" she asked.
I shifted awkwardly, the word catching me off guard. She instantly realized her mistake.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that," she said, her body tensing up.
"No, it's alright," I said. "I'm his wife."
"What?" she gasped. "He is married? But there hasn't been any news on that..." She looked over at Sebastian, who seemed to be resting with his eyes closed.
I turned my attention back to the fabrics. The price tag on the first dress I touched was something I knew I couldn't pay off even in my next life. And here I was, wondering if it would look good on me.
But something like this would look good on her.
The image of Lana replayed in my head. Does he like girls who dress like her? I questioned, glancing over at him. His eyes were still closed.
"Do you think this would look good on me?" I asked the lady, holding up a structured dress.
"No, ma'am," she responded. "But I could show you some collections which would be perfect for you."
I knew she was only doing her job, but the blunt honesty still felt like a hit to my chest.
"It wouldn't, right?" I said, forcing a small smile.
"You could still try it on," she offered quickly, sensing my shift in mood.
"No, nevermind. Let me see the other collections," I said. "I like something simple. And... not too expensive."
I stepped out of the dressing room, smoothing my hands nervously over the soft, simple fabric of the new dress.
"What do you think?" I asked.
Sebastian's eyes slid open. He didn't sit up straight. He leaned back against the sofa, resting his head at a slight angle as his gaze swept over me. He took his time, observing the dress from the hem to the neckline. His expression was completely unreadable.
"It's nice," he said finally.
I looked at him and shook my head a bit, a small, wry smile on my lips. "Figures," I muttered. Of course he wouldn't care.
I turned my back to him and faced the saleslady. "I'd like to see more in this style, please."
"Are you done?" Sebastian asked.
I heard the shift of the leather sofa as he stood up. Before I could answer, he was approaching me. He didn't stop until he was standing right in front of me.
He lifted his hand. His fingers brushed lightly against my temple as he caught a scattered, messy strand of my hair and tucked it slowly behind my ear. My heart skipped a bit.
"That's better," he murmured, his voice low.
I couldn't move. His gaze was locked on mine, but his eyes looked tired. He is so confusing, I thought, my pulse racing.
"Excuse me," the saleslady cleared her throat. I stepped back, shaking myself out of the daze, and focused on finding more clothes.
The ride home was rather quiet. Sebastian spent most of it resting with his eyes closed, and I couldn't help but watch him. Is he really doing okay? The dark circles under his eyes seemed heavier today. My fingers brushed the side of my face, right where he had tucked my hair behind my ear. He can be sweet, I realized, my pulse picking up all over again.
When we arrived, one of the security guards stepped up to the car and whispered something to him. His expression turned grim.
He didn't say a word as he opened the front doors into our home.
Crash.
I froze. laying on the floor with its glass completely shattered, was our framed wedding picture.
"Mom," Sebastian said.
I took in the image of the woman he had just called Mom.
"What do you think you are doing, Sebastian Hale?" Her voice was loud and sharp, echoing through the room. She stood with the rigid posture of a woman who had everything in her control.
Her furious gaze swept over me, stripping away the illusion until I was just a girl standing in a place she didn't belong in. Without thinking, I hid my left hand behind my back-the one with the ring.
- Writer
