Sebastian Wolfe was awake long before the sun rose.
Insomnia again.
He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom in the mansion.
Silent.
Still.
His back throbbed faintly, the dull reminder of surgery never fully leaving him.
But that wasn't what kept him awake.
His thoughts kept drifting to Lillian.
The bath.
The cream on his back.
Her blush.
The way she avoided looking at his chest.
A faint warmth stirred in his chest again.
He frowned slightly.
Annoying.
His phone suddenly vibrated on the nightstand.
Sebastian grabbed it immediately.
Assistant – Daniel.
He answered.
"Yes?"
"Mr. Wolfe," Daniel said quickly. "We have a situation."
Sebastian sat up slowly.
"What situation?"
"The Henderson smart-home interface deal."
Sebastian's eyes sharpened.
"What about it?"
"They're threatening to pull out."
Silence.
Sebastian swung his legs off the bed.
"Explain."
"They want immediate clarification on the integration contract. Their legal team is backing out unless you meet them this morning."
"How soon?"
"They're requesting an emergency meeting at Sovereign."
Sebastian stood.
Pain flickered through his back.
He ignored it.
"Schedule it."
"Sir, are you sure? You're still—."
"I said schedule it."
"Yes, Mr. Wolfe."
"I'll be there in an hour."
He ended the call.
The room fell silent again.
Sebastian ran a hand through his hair.
"Of course they choose today," he muttered.
He stood slowly, rolling his shoulders once.
His back protested.
He ignored that too.
Work first.
Always.
He moved to the wardrobe and began dressing.
Shirt.
Trousers.
Suit jacket.
Careful movements.
No twisting.
No sudden turns.
He grabbed his laptop bag and began packing files.
Contracts.
Tablet.
Charger.
His phone buzzed again with emails already flooding in.
He glanced toward the guest room down the hallway.
Lillian.
Still asleep.
He could picture her curled up under the blankets.
Exhausted.
She had barely slept the last few days while watching him.
Sebastian paused.
Then shook his head.
No time.
He slung the laptop bag over his shoulder.
Grabbed his car keys.
And left the bedroom quietly.
The mansion was dark and silent.
His footsteps echoed faintly in the hallway.
He moved through the kitchen and into the garage.
Rows of sleek cars waited under the lights.
He picked one without thinking.
The engine started with a low rumble.
Sebastian leaned back in the seat briefly.
His back stiffened slightly.
"Just get through the meeting," he muttered.
Then he drove out of the garage.
The gates opened.
And the mansion disappeared behind him.
Almost two hours later…
Lillian stirred in the guest bedroom.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains.
She groaned softly.
Then reached for her phone.
Her eyes widened.
"Wait…"
10:04 AM.
She sat up instantly.
"I overslept."
Her heart skipped.
Sebastian.
She threw the blanket off and rushed out of bed.
"Mr. Wolfe?" she called while walking down the hallway.
No answer.
She knocked on his bedroom door.
"Mr. Wolfe?"
Nothing.
She opened the door slowly.
The room was empty.
Bed slightly disturbed.
But he was gone.
Lillian frowned.
"That's strange…"
She walked inside.
His laptop bag was missing.
Her stomach tightened.
"Oh no."
She hurried downstairs.
"Mr. Wolfe?" she called again.
Kitchen.
Empty.
Living room.
Empty.
Office.
Empty.
She walked faster now.
"Sebastian?"
Nothing.
Her worry started growing.
"He wouldn't just leave…"
She pulled out her phone and dialed him.
Ringing.
Ringing.
Ringing.
No answer.
She frowned.
"Pick up…"
Voicemail.
She ended the call.
"Where did you go?"
She walked through the mansion again.
Library.
Dining room.
Guest lounge.
Still nothing.
Her heart started beating faster.
"Did he drive somewhere?"
She rushed to the garage.
The door opened.
One car was missing.
Lillian sighed heavily.
"He drove himself…"
Her phone buzzed.
A text from Chloe.
Chloe:
Morning! How's Mr. Grumpy Billionaire today?
Lillian typed immediately.
Lillian:
I can't find him.
Three dots appeared.
Chloe:
What do you mean you can't find him?
Lillian:
He's gone. Mansion is empty.
Chloe:
Did you call him?
Lillian:
Yes. He's not answering.
A few seconds passed.
Then Chloe replied again.
Chloe:
Hold on.
Lillian paced the garage.
Her heart was racing.
"What are you doing, Sebastian…" she whispered.
Her phone buzzed again.
Chloe:
Well that answers your question.
Lillian stopped pacing.
Lillian:
What?
Three seconds.
Then the message came.
Chloe:
Your billionaire just walked past my desk.
Lillian blinked.
Lillian:
What??
Chloe:
Yep.
Chloe:
Sebastian Wolfe. Dark suit. Serious face. Walking like the king of the world.
Lillian stared at the screen.
"He went to Sovereign…" she whispered.
Another message appeared.
Chloe:
And now he's heading into the Henderson conference room.
Lillian:
He has a meeting??
Chloe:
Looks like it.
Chloe:
Also he looked like he hadn't slept in three days.
Lillian groaned.
"Of course he did…"
Her thumbs moved quickly.
Lillian:
He shouldn't even be working.
Chloe:
You think that man listens to doctors?
Lillian sighed.
"No," she muttered.
Her phone buzzed again.
Chloe:
Want me to interrupt the meeting and tell him his nurse is angry?
Lillian almost smiled.
Lillian:
Don't you dare.
Chloe:
Coward.
Lillian leaned against the car door.
"So he's safe," she whispered quietly.
Relief washed through her chest.
At least he wasn't hurt.
But frustration followed immediately after.
"He left without saying anything…"
Her phone buzzed again.
Chloe:
You coming to Sovereign?
Lillian hesitated.
She looked back toward the mansion.
Silent.
Too quiet.
Then she looked at the car.
Her jaw tightened slightly.
"Yes," she muttered.
She typed back.
Lillian:
Yes.
Chloe:
Oooooh.
Chloe:
This is going to be fun.
Lillian shook her head.
"It's not fun," she muttered.
She climbed into the car.
Started the engine.
Sebastian Wolfe had escaped the mansion.
But he hadn't escaped her yet.
And if he thought he could push himself into another injury…
He had another thing coming.
She pulled out of the driveway.
Heading straight for Sovereign.