Chapter 2 : Home With a Stranger
886 Words
The elevator ride up to Sebastian’s penthouse felt less luxury and more like ascending into another world.
The silence inside the mahogany cab was something else.
My new husband “God”!That word tasted like salt. The scent of his intoxicating cologne wrapped around me that made my stomach flip in ways I didn’t want to imagine.
When the doors slid open directly into the living room, I actually stopped breathing for a second.
Everything was literally perfect,the space was all clean lines, dark brushed steel, and recessed lighting that probably cost more per bulb than my monthly rent. A grand piano sat in one corner,it probably caused a fortune.
“Welcome home baby,” Sebastian said. He gestured with one hand, the other still loosely holding around my waist. His touch was so warm I could feel a surging sensation.
I pulled my fingers free under the pretense of brushing something off my dress, immediately missing the warmth but grateful for the distance. “It’s… a lot.”
He gave a soft chuckle that did unfair things to my pulse. “You’ll get used to it. Or you won’t. Either way, it’s yours now too.”
He toured me around the house as we moved with surprising ease through the sprawling layout pointing out the kitchen that looked so marvelous,the library lined with actual leather-bound books, and the guest rooms. Every now and then, his hand would hover near my lower back, I kinda blushed,he was quite touchy.
In the main suite which was our bedroom, the massive bed,dark sheets, plush pillows, and a view that made the entire city look small. The feeling felt good but weird,like this was happening. I was really doing this,sleeping with him.
“You’re quiet today,” Sebastian said, turning towards me. Those amber eyes behind the sleek, dark-framed glasses seemed to pin me directly to the floor. “Second thoughts already?”
“Would it matter if I was?” I shot back.
He tilted his head, studying me, his expression unreadable. “Probably not. We both signed the papers. The transaction is complete.”
I hated how acutely aware I was of him,all his angles felt breath taking. My sister had talked to this man for weeks. She’d laughed with him on late-night phone calls. And now here I was, posing as her.
He stepped closer. “You’re different in person, Chloe.”
My heart stuttered, skipping a beat entirely. “Am I?”
“More… real. Less performance.” His voice dropped to a low murmur. “I like it.”
Before I could spiral into a full panic, something glitched. The thin, matte-black frame of his glasses flickered with a faint blue light, then went completely dark for a split second. Sebastian’s posture stiffened his shoulders going rigid. He reached up, tapped the side of the frames once, and the blue light returned.
“Everything okay?” I asked, watching his fingers carefully.
“Fine.” He turned away a little too quickly, walking toward the windows. “The view is better during the day.”
That was when the pieces clicked together.
He hadn’t looked at the view once. Not really. When we walked in, his head had turned toward the sounds that I made. He had described the layout of the rooms by memory and spatial awareness, not by sight. And that glitch…
Oh my goodness!,he was blind.
The realization hit me. The brilliant tech billionaire who hid his sightlessness so perfectly that the entire world bought the illusion. No wonder the marriage had been arranged over the phone.
I felt pity for him but also felt sick.We were both hiding behind massive, fragile lies.
“I should let you settle in,” he said, already moving toward the door. “Your things will be brought up shortly. Elena can help you with anything you need.”
Elena. His assistant. I’d seen her briefly at the ceremony with sharp features, efficient movements, and dark eyes that catalogued everything.
Later that night, sleep refused to come. The penthouse was too quiet, I slipped out of bed in my nighties and padded toward the kitchen for water. Low voices drifted from the hallway near the study.
Elena spoke first, her tone low. “Sebastian, something feels off about her. She’s not the same woman from your phone conversations.”
My stomach dropped. I pressed my back to the wall, heart hammering.
Sebastian’s reply was calm but firm. “She just lost her sister, Elena. Give her time. We all handle grief differently.”
Footsteps moved away, Sebastian left the hallway. I stayed hidden, barely breathing.
Then Elena’s voice returned, lower now, speaking into her phone with a jealous edge that sent chills down my spine.
“She’s hiding something. I can
feel it. If that woman is playing games and trying to take what isn’t hers, she won’t last long. I’ll make sure of it.”
Her footsteps faded down the opposite corridor.
My blood ran cold.
Elena wasn’t just loyal,she was jealous. Possessive in a way that made my skin crawl. And she already suspected I wasn’t who I claimed to be.
What the hell had my sister actually gotten herself into? And how long before Elena or Sebastian figure out the truth?
- Writer
