Lily's POV
We arrived at Sebastian's home a few hours later.
I was welcomed with a warm shower, fresh clothes, and dinner he insisted on having with me.
Sebastian rolled into the dining room as casually as he would have strolled in.
I tried not to stare at his legs, covered by a blanket, as he took his place at the table.
He had saved me from spending the night on the street, and I was about to ask him to stick his neck out for me. The least I could do was be respectful about what might be an insecurity for him.
After dinner, we moved to the lounge to drink and talk over a crackling fire.
I told him everything, and he listened, patient and attentive.
I couldn't help but compare him to Vincent, who always became the busiest man in the world when I wanted to talk, even though I was the one doing most of the work.
"Unless you can get proof he forged your signatures, the only way to get everything is to buy them back."
I sighed, exhausted both physically and mentally. "I don't have the money to buy back everything."
And I wouldn't pay Vincent a dime for what was rightfully mine.
"But I do. As well as the resources to have Vincent investigated for fraud."
I stared at him, contemplative. "You would do that for a stranger?"
He brought out a ring box from his housecoat pocket and held it out to me. "I would do that and more for my wife."
I took the box and opened it to reveal a stunning ring. It was a little more subtle than Stacy's ring, but to me, it was far more beautiful.
I slipped it on, and it fit, the heart-shaped emerald complimenting me perfectly.
"I can't get on my knee, unfortunately..."
"It doesn't matter," I brushed off easily, looking away from the ring to give him a soft smile.
He smiled back, and it lit up his face, making him appear twice as handsome under the fire's glow.
"Will you marry me, Miss Hart?"
"I will," I responded with a soft laugh at the absurd situation.
We spent the evening getting to know each other.
Sebastian was a reserved man, but I could tell from the way he spoke that there was warmth under the tough shield he kept up to protect his heart from the world's harsh judgment.
It was all going so well until he mentioned wanting children, and the once-burning whiskey in my belly turned cold.
Thankfully, he did not notice my silence about the topic, and we moved on to other things. Though that glimmer of hope in his eyes caused guilt to haunt me for the rest of the night.
The next morning, I left Sebastian's home to get the rest of my things.
The house loomed ahead, and Mattew and I shared a look when we saw the black smoke rising from the front yard.
I was out of the car the second he parked, my feet leading me past the gates.
Standing on the lawn was Stacy with a determined look on her face as she stared down at the dying flames of a blackened heap by her feet.
In one hand, she held lighter fluid, and in the other, a box of matches.
I marched over to inform her she couldn't just burn things on my carefully groomed grass.
However, my steps slowed when my eyes caught something peeking out from the blackened lump.
It was a familiar pink fabric that looked just like the suit my mother had worn during her court marriage.
My heart dropped to my stomach when I caught sight of the wheel of the luggage I had packed my things into yesterday.
"No," I whispered, watching as the dying embers consumed the last of my parents' things.
The photo album my mother had meticulously recorded all our memories in, my father's lucky cufflinks, and every other trinket that would be useless to everyone else but meant everything to me.
"W-what have you done?" I wailed as I crumbled to my knees, tears pouring down my cheeks.
Stacy smiled, her eyes filled with sadistic pleasure. "You acted so high and mighty yesterday, and that didn't sit right with me.”
“I don't think it's fair you keep anything bought with my husband's hard-earned money, so I made sure you can't."
