For several minutes, Selena simply stood by the floor-to-ceiling window. The city below felt endless, a sprawling labyrinth of steel and light that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. Cars moved like tiny, synchronized streams of light far beneath the towering buildings, and people hurried along the sidewalks in patterns that looked almost choreographed from this height.
She had never been this high above the ground before. In Willowbrook, the tallest building was the old clock tower, barely three stories high. Here, it felt as if she had woken up somewhere above the clouds, untethered from the earth. She pressed her hand lightly against the cool glass, the vibration of the city humming faintly against her palm.
"So this is Aurelia City," she whispered to the empty room.
Behind her, the penthouse felt almost too large, its open-concept design swallowing her small frame. The polished floors reflected the soft morning light in long, clean lines, and the silence carried a strange, sterile elegance she wasn't used to. Back home, mornings were always a symphony of familiar sounds: the rhythmic rustling of pages as she opened the shop, Julia's heavy footsteps upstairs, the soft clatter of ceramic cups as her grandmother brewed chamomile tea in the kitchen.
Here, everything was calm. Almost too calm.
She turned slowly and began walking through the living area. It was bigger than the entire lower floor of the bookstore. Tall, dark wood shelves lined one wall, filled with books arranged with such careful precision that it felt a crime to touch them. A long, charcoal-gray sofa faced massive windows that overlooked the jagged skyline. Every detail felt expensive, yet nothing looked overly decorative. It was simple, elegant, and entirely controlled.
It was exactly like Sebastian.
A faint, rich scent of coffee drifted through the air. Selena followed it toward the kitchen—a sleek expanse of marble and stainless steel—and paused when she saw him. He was standing near the counter, dressed in a dark shirt with the sleeves rolled slightly at the forearms. One hand rested casually on the marble surface as he poured coffee into two white porcelain cups. For a moment, he didn't notice her. Watching him like this felt strangely peaceful, like the quiet moment before a storm breaks.
Then he looked up. Their eyes met, and a small, private smile touched his lips.
"You're awake."
Selena suddenly felt a flush of embarrassment, as if she had been caught staring at a piece of art she wasn't supposed to touch. "I didn't mean to sleep so long."
"You traveled halfway across the country yesterday," he said calmly, his voice steadying her. "You're allowed to rest." He slid one of the cups toward her across the marble.
She walked closer, accepting it carefully. The warmth of the cup felt grounding. "Thank you."
For a moment, they stood there in a comfortable silence, the only sound the distant, muffled roar of the city below.
"How does the city look from up here?" he asked, his expression softening as he watched her.
"Unreal," she admitted.
"You'll get used to it."
"I'm not sure I want to," Selena said, looking back toward the window.
He raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in his gaze. "No?"
"In Willowbrook, everything feels slower. Simpler. Here… it feels like the world never stops moving. It's like everyone is running toward something they can't quite catch."
"That's because it doesn't stop," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "In this city, if you stop moving, you disappear."
Before she could respond, his phone suddenly vibrated on the counter, the harsh buzz cutting through the quiet. Sebastian glanced at the screen, and his expression changed almost instantly. The relaxed, approachable man from moments ago vanished. In his place stood someone sharper, focused, and undeniably powerful.
He answered the call without hesitation. "Yes."
There was a pause as someone spoke rapidly on the other end. Sebastian's voice lowered, becoming clipped and authoritative. "No delays. Move the meeting to eleven. And tell them I'll handle the negotiation personally. I want the final figures on my desk within the hour."
He ended the call and placed the phone back on the counter. Selena realized she had been watching him the entire time, mesmerized by the transition.
"That sounded important," she said carefully.
"It's just work."
"What exactly is it that you do, Sebastian? Truly?"
For the first time since she had met him, Sebastian seemed to hesitate. He leaned slightly against the counter, crossing his arms. "I run a company, Selena. I manage interests that require constant attention."
"That sounds like a very big company."
A faint, tired smile appeared. "You could say that."
Before she could press him further, the quiet, digital chime of the private elevator sounded from across the penthouse. Selena looked toward the hallway in surprise. "Are we expecting someone?"
Sebastian didn't seem concerned. "Yes. My day usually starts before the sun is up."
A moment later, footsteps approached—firm and hurried. A tall man in a perfectly tailored suit entered the living area, holding a sleek tablet. He stopped dead when he saw Selena standing in the kitchen, his professional mask flickering briefly with genuine surprise.
He recovered quickly, turning to Sebastian. "Good morning, Mr. McGrey. This is the revised schedule you asked for." He handed the tablet over, his tone respectful and formal. "Also, the board members have been asking about tonight's dinner with the investors."
"I'll attend," Sebastian replied calmly, scrolling through the tablet.
The man nodded, but his eyes drifted back to Selena. This time, the curiosity was impossible to miss. Sebastian seemed to sense the tension in the room.
"Selena, this is Daniel," Sebastian said, gesturing toward the man. "He manages most of my schedule—and by extension, my life."
Daniel straightened slightly, giving a respectful but guarded nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss..." He trailed off, clearly waiting for a surname Sebastian hadn't provided.
"Selena," she offered, feeling small in her oversized sweater.
"She'll be staying here for a while," Sebastian added.
Daniel's eyebrows lifted almost imperceptibly—a high-stakes version of the look Emilia often gave her. "Understood, sir. I'll make the necessary arrangements."
But the look Daniel gave Selena as he turned to leave carried a quiet, heavy question. It made her stomach tighten with a sudden, sharp realization. For the first time since arriving, she understood that Sebastian's world wasn't just big—it was a fortress. And she had just stepped right into the center of its most private chamber.