The apartment door clicked softly as Lillian stepped inside.
She paused just inside the doorway, listening.
The apartment was quiet except for the faint hum of the refrigerator and the distant sound of traffic outside.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting soft golden light across the small living room.
Lillian exhaled slowly.
Maybe Chloe is still asleep.
Carefully, she slipped off her shoes and set her bag down by the door.
"Good morning."
Lillian nearly jumped out of her skin.
Her head snapped toward the living room.
Chloe was sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, holding a steaming mug of coffee.
Her legs were crossed, and she was staring at Lillian with the intense focus of someone who had clearly been waiting.
"You scared me!" Lillian gasped, clutching her chest.
Chloe took a calm sip of coffee.
"You spent the night at Sebastian Wolfe's mansion."
Lillian froze.
"…Yes."
Chloe nodded slowly.
"Start talking."
Lillian sighed dramatically and walked further into the room.
"It's not what you think."
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
"You spent the night at a billionaire's mansion after disappearing with him."
"…Yes."
"That's exactly what I think."
Lillian dropped onto the armchair across from the couch.
"We watched a movie."
Chloe blinked.
"A movie."
"Yes."
"With Sebastian Wolfe."
"Yes."
Chloe leaned forward slowly.
"Sebastian Wolfe watched a movie."
"Yes."
Chloe stared at her for a full five seconds.
"Are you sure it was him?"
Lillian rolled her eyes.
"He complained the entire time."
Chloe relaxed slightly.
"Okay, that sounds more realistic."
Lillian folded her arms.
"He said movies were inefficient."
"Of course he did."
"He said people could just summarize the plot in five minutes."
Chloe snorted.
"That man is allergic to relaxation."
"But he stayed," Lillian said quietly.
Chloe tilted her head slightly.
"Interesting."
Lillian shrugged.
"We had a blanket and popcorn and everything."
"You had popcorn?"
"Yes."
"With Sebastian Wolfe?"
"Yes."
Chloe leaned back slowly, clearly processing this.
"Did he complain about the popcorn too?"
"He said it was loud."
Chloe burst out laughing.
"Of course he did!"
Lillian couldn't help laughing too.
"But he kept eating it," she added.
Chloe wiped her eyes.
"This is the best story I've heard all week."
Lillian groaned.
"It's not supposed to be funny."
"Oh it's hilarious," Chloe said.
"Sebastian Wolfe sitting on a couch eating popcorn and watching a movie."
"He didn't watch it," Lillian corrected.
"What was he doing?"
"Watching me watch it."
Chloe's grin widened.
"Oh wow."
"What?"
"That's even worse."
Lillian threw a pillow at her.
"Stop!"
Chloe caught it easily.
"I'm serious!" Lillian insisted.
Chloe leaned forward again.
"So let me get this straight."
"Oh no."
"You watched a movie."
"Yes."
"You shared a blanket."
"Yes."
"And then you… fell asleep."
Lillian hesitated.
"…Yes."
"On the couch?"
"Yes."
"With him."
"…Yes."
Chloe's eyes narrowed.
"So… did you two… you know…?"
Lillian's face immediately turned bright red.
"Chloe!"
"What?" Chloe asked innocently.
"I'm asking a perfectly normal question."
"No!"
"So nothing happened?"
"Nothing happened!"
"You slept in the same bed."
"We fell asleep!"
"…Together."
"Yes!"
Chloe leaned back slowly.
"I'm judging him a little for that level of restraint."
Lillian grabbed another pillow and smacked her with it.
"Stop saying that!"
"I'm just being honest!"
"You're being ridiculous!"
Chloe laughed.
"I'm just saying. Billionaire. Mansion. Beautiful girl."
Lillian covered her face with her hands.
"You're impossible."
Chloe tilted her head.
"You like him."
Lillian froze.
"No I don't."
"Yes you do."
"I do not."
"You absolutely do."
Lillian sighed.
"…Maybe a little."
Chloe pointed at her triumphantly.
"I knew it."
"It's not like that."
"Oh really?"
Lillian hesitated.
Then quietly said,
"I already told him."
Chloe choked on her coffee.
"You WHAT?!"
Lillian winced.
"It just slipped out!"
"You told Sebastian Wolfe you love him?"
"Yes!"
"When?!"
"Last night!"
Chloe stared at her in complete disbelief.
"You're insane."
"I know!"
"And?"
Lillian looked down at her hands.
"He didn't say it back."
Chloe's expression softened slightly.
"What did he say?"
"He said I didn't have to explain it."
Chloe leaned back thoughtfully.
"That man is terrified."
Lillian frowned.
"Of me?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"Of loving you."
Lillian stared at her.
"That's dramatic."
"Is it?"
Chloe gestured toward the door.
"That man controls half the city, and you somehow got him to watch a movie."
"He hated the movie."
"He stayed."
Lillian couldn't stop the small smile that appeared.
Chloe noticed immediately.
"Oh wow," she said.
"What?"
"You're completely gone."
"I am not."
"You absolutely are."
Lillian sighed.
"When I'm with him… I feel safe."
Chloe's teasing expression softened.
"That's a good sign."
"And he slept."
Chloe blinked.
"What?"
"He he has insomnia," Lillian said quietly.
"But he slept last night."
Chloe slowly smiled.
"Oh wow."
"What?"
"That man is completely doomed."
Lillian laughed.
"You're unbelievable."
Chloe pointed at her.
"You spent the night at his mansion."
"Yes."
"You slept in his bed."
"Yes."
"You told him you love him."
"Yes."
"And you're still pretending this isn't serious?"
Lillian hesitated.
"…Maybe it's a little serious."
Chloe snorted.
"A little?"
Lillian leaned back in the chair.
"He's different when it's just us."
"How?"
"He's quieter," Lillian said.
"Less… intimidating."
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
"You're telling me Sebastian Wolfe becomes soft around you?"
"Not soft."
"What then?"
"Calm."
Chloe smirked.
"That's worse."
Lillian laughed.
"You're impossible."
Chloe lifted her mug again.
"You realize this is the part of the story where everything gets complicated."
Lillian sighed.
"It's already complicated."
Chloe shook her head slowly.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"You're just getting started."
Lillian laughed nervously.
But as she stared out the window, her thoughts drifted back to Sebastian.
The warmth of his arms.
The quiet way he had looked at her.
The way he had almost said something at the door.
Her heart fluttered again.
Maybe Chloe was right.
Maybe things were only beginning.