Sebastian sat at the head of the long, polished conference table.
The room was filled with executives, analysts, and his top team, all presenting data, projections, and updates on ongoing projects.
But Sebastian wasn't listening.
Not really.
He nodded occasionally, said "Hmm" or "I see" at appropriate moments. His pen tapped the edge of the table in a rhythm that matched his racing thoughts.
Lillian.
The image of her face from yesterday—the way she had shut Ethan down, the way she had smiled politely yet firmly—kept appearing in his mind.
He glanced at the team presenting the numbers.
"Quarterly sales projections…" the analyst said, pointing at the chart.
"Uh-huh," Sebastian muttered, eyes still distant.
The analyst faltered.
"Sir? Did you catch that?"
Sebastian blinked, realizing he hadn't heard a word.
"Sorry?" he asked, shaking his head slightly.
"The quarterly sales projections," the analyst repeated, voice a little strained. "You know, revenue streams, growth percentages…"
Sebastian waved a hand absently.
"Yes. Of course. Sounds good."
He looked down at the table, tracing the edge with his finger. His mind was elsewhere.
She's safe. She shut him down. But she looked…
He shook his head sharply.
"Mr. Wolfe?" another executive asked. "Do you have any input?"
"I… uh…" Sebastian's voice trailed. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes briefly. Why did she have to be so… her?
A few employees exchanged glances. They had never seen him so… distracted. Usually, he commanded every room. Every detail. Every conversation.
Now he seemed… human. Vulnerable.
"Sir, are you okay?" Chloe's voice broke through his thoughts.
He opened his eyes. She was sitting near the corner of the table, trying to keep her expression neutral.
"I'm fine," he said, voice clipped. But his eyes betrayed him.
Chloe noted it. She had worked with him long enough to read him like a book.
Not fine.
The meeting dragged on. Sebastian barely contributed. His mind kept replaying the hallway argument, Lillian storming out, the way she had looked hurt.
She really does care… and I—
The thought cut off abruptly. He wasn't ready to admit it—not yet. Not here. Not to anyone.
"Mr. Wolfe, can you review the contract details?" one of his assistants asked. "We need approval before moving forward with the smart-home interface deal."
He picked up a pen, glanced at the papers, and set them down again.
"Do it without me," he muttered.
The assistant blinked. "Sir?"
"I said… handle it. I'm… indisposed."
A subtle tension ran through the room. Everyone sensed it. But no one dared press further. Sebastian Wolfe was their boss. Their powerhouse. And yet, today… he was just a man lost in thought.
The meeting finally ended. People filed out quietly, leaving Sebastian alone with Chloe at the table. She stayed seated, pretending to review her notes, but her eyes kept flicking toward him.
"Are you… okay?" she asked again, soft this time.
Sebastian didn't answer. He stared straight ahead, at nothing. At everything. At Lillian.
"She's… she's out of reach," he whispered under his breath, barely audible.
Chloe's heart tightened. She knew exactly who he meant. And she knew exactly how he felt, even if he refused to admit it.
"You should take a break, sir," Chloe said lightly, careful not to push. "Go for a walk. Clear your mind."
"I'll be fine," he said, voice flat. But his shoulders slumped slightly.
Chloe let it go. For now.
Sebastian rose from the table, still deep in thought, and walked back to his office.
Once inside, he shut the door and didn't turn on his computer. Didn't open any files. Didn't even check his emails.
He just… sat.
Head tilted slightly, eyes fixed on the dark screen of the laptop. His fingers tapped on the desk idly.
Chloe could see him through the glass walls. She stayed at her desk, pretending to work, but her eyes kept flicking toward him.
She had never seen him like this before. Not since the surgery, not since the argument at Sovereign, not since Lillian had stormed out of his life.
She realized something then.
Lillian actually means something to him.
More than anyone had suspected. More than he would ever admit.
And the worst part… for him… was that he couldn't reach her. Not yet. Not with the walls he had built around himself.
Sebastian leaned back in his chair, head resting against the leather. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again.
I can't stop thinking about her. Can't… can't let her go.
He clenched his jaw, knowing that pride and stubbornness were holding him back. Pride and fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of admitting he needed her as much as she had needed him.
Chloe watched silently. She wanted to say something, anything. But she knew he wasn't ready.
Not now.
Not yet.
Minutes passed. Then an hour.
Sebastian hadn't moved. He hadn't worked. He hadn't even touched the whiskey bottle he had hidden in his office drawer.
Chloe finally leaned back in her chair and sighed quietly.
This isn't going to end well if he doesn't act, she thought.
She watched as he finally picked up a pen, tapped it on the desk, and muttered under his breath.
"I can't let her go. Not now. Not ever."
Chloe glanced away, pretending to focus on her own work.
She didn't want to push him. Didn't want to break the fragile tension that hung in the air.
Because she knew one day… he would have to act. And when he did… it would be explosive.
Sebastian tapped the pen against the desk again. Then he stood abruptly, pacing the office.
She's out there, living her life. Smiling. Strong. Not needing me. And I… I'm here, useless, still broken…
He ran a hand over his face, the exhaustion of the past weeks weighing him down.
But the thought of Lillian… of her strength, her calm, her unwavering sense of self… it lit something inside him. Something stubborn, fierce, and unwilling to lose.
Chloe noticed the shift in him. His pace became more aggressive, his jaw tighter, his eyes darker.
She's the only one who matters, she thought to herself.
For now, he remained alone in his office, surrounded by glass walls, the hum of the city outside, the faint ticking of the clock, and the emptiness that only Lillian could fill.
And deep down, Chloe knew… this wasn't going to end quietly.
Not for Sebastian. Not for Lillian.