Chapter 4

The private room was brightly lit, and the harsh light glared straight into Sebastian's face. His expression was calm. Between his fingers, a cigarette had burned down so much that it singed his skin, but he seemed not to feel it at all. A faint smell of his own scorched flesh reached his nose, but his nerves felt numb. Suddenly, he stood up, bent down, and picked up the suit jacket that had fallen to the floor. His face remained impassive, but he had a dark look. "The hospital just called. I have to leave." Sebastian walked out quickly. His steps had a restless energy to them, as though he couldn't bear to stay there for another second. Luke hurried after him but soon realized that Sebastian had already vanished, so he could only return to the room. At that moment, a female classmate who had been silent all night hesitated. Then, she spoke softly. Her voice was quiet, yet it instantly silenced the entire room. "Didn't any one of you hear the rumor?" "What rumor?" She answered, "Jane and Sebastian were both at Stredview University. They secretly dated for three years." The words sent shockwaves through the group. Yelena's voice was shrill with disbelief. "Mona Nolan, what nonsense are you spouting? Jane? That ugly, fat woman? Why would Sebastian ever stoop so low? Are you dreaming?" "Yeah, Mona, are you confused? If Jane could land Sebastian, then I would already have married into the Grant family by now." A male classmate couldn't help but interject, "Hey, that's not fair. Jane might have been chubby, but she wasn't ugly. She had really fair skin and a soft, gentle voice." Mona nodded. She had been shocked when she found out. "It's true. My sister went to Stredview University, and this gossip was all over campus. A chubby woman and the campus heartthrob in a secret three-year relationship. If you don't believe me, ask Sebastian yourself." Of course, no one would dare to ask him. It sounded absurd, but her confidence made everyone start to believe her. "Still, is Jane really dead now?" Someone asked hesitantly. Yelena gritted her teeth in annoyance. "She probably is. Wasn't she supposed to have a huge tumor on her belly? She's probably gone. Otherwise, someone would've heard from her after all these years." In this age of social media, it did seem likely that someone with no presence was gone. Sebastian turned a corner and ran straight into someone. A soft voice yelped as the other person staggered back a few steps. Valeria instinctively reached out to grab something for balance and clutched the man's shirt. "I'm so sorry," she blurted, letting him go. As she looked up at his familiar, striking face, all color drained from her face. She hadn't expected to see him again. Was the world really this small? "Sorry," Sebastian muttered as he brushed past her. His mind was in chaos, and he needed a place to calm down. The faint, crisp scent he carried faded from the air, and Valeria remained standing there. She had only come out to use the bathroom, but she never expected to run into the person who used to be the center of her world. Her gaze dropped to the floor to see an intricately crafted cufflink there. She bent to pick it up. Then, she instinctively turned in the direction Sebastian had gone, taking a few steps before stopping abruptly. They no longer had anything to do with each other. Being strangers was the best outcome. … Back home, Valeria showered and lay in bed, staring at the cufflink she had set on her nightstand. Her fingers brushed its smooth surface as memories surfaced. The man's habits and preferences didn't seem to have changed. He had always loved this brand—niche and understated, but made exquisitely. Her thoughts were broken when her phone rang. "Hello, Grandma." "Valeria, why did you send me more money? I don't need it. I barely spend anything at home." Hearing her grandmother, Margaret Jameson's, mix of reproach and affection, Valeria let out a soft smile. "Then, help me save the money." They chatted briefly. Work had been hectic lately. Valeria had planned on taking Selena home before the school term began, but she hadn't managed to find the time. Once things settled down, she thought about having Margaret stay with them for a while. Margaret was the only family she had left. As they were about to hang up, Margaret hesitated before speaking again. "Valeria, your uncle might have… Well, he's still your uncle. He came home recently and asked about you…" Her voice trailed off. Valeria didn't want Margaret worrying about those people. Her parents had divorced when she was a child. Her mother walked out and never returned, not even when her grandfather died. That happened when she was two years old, so she barely even remembered her mother. As for her father, he was a gambling addict. He would disappear whenever he lost money, and when he won, he'd bring her a treat. During his absences, he'd leave her at her grandparents' home. They were the ones who had raised her. "Grandma, I know," Valeria replied gently, but only to comfort Margaret. She had no intention of bringing up her uncle or aunt again, or ever contacting them, even though they lived in the same city. After hanging up, Valeria placed the cufflink in a sealed bag and stored it carefully. When Valeria needed to take Selena for her routine hospital checkup later, she would deliberately avoid Sebastian's consultation days. He was in the clinic every Tuesday, so she just needed to go on Mondays and Wednesdays. It wasn't as though they had never crossed paths. After all, hospitals were crowded places full of weary people and the scent of illnesses. … Wearing her mask, Valeria held her daughter's hand and stepped into the packed elevator. Suddenly, a nurse called out. "Dr. Grant." Behind her, a deep voice answered the nurse. Valeria's hand tightened around Selena's. She felt sure Sebastian was standing right there, close enough that she could almost feel the rise and fall of his breath. … When they arrived on the third floor, the crowd spilled out. Both Valeria and Sebastian were headed toward the same consultation area. She lined up outside Room 6 and watched as Sebastian disappeared into Room 8. "Mommy, your hand is all sweaty," Selena commented suddenly, glancing up and shaking Valeria's mother's hand gently. Valeria lowered her gaze and loosened her grip. Sure enough, her palms were slick with sweat. Every time she ran into Sebastian, her nerves would betray her, even if she knew he wouldn't recognize her. Their encounters were usually accidents that were beyond her control, yet she couldn't help the feelings that stirred in her heart. She left the cufflink he'd dropped at the front desk for the nurse to return. … That night, Valeria peeked into Selena's room. Selena was hugging a rabbit plushie, fast asleep. With the same brows and nose, she looked a lot like Sebastian. Valeria went into the bathroom and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was slim and fair, with long hair draped over her shoulders. No one would ever associate the woman in the mirror with the overweight Jane Carlson from seven years ago. In a bustling city of over ten million people, a fleeting encounter made them nothing more than strangers. … That evening, Sebastian returned to the Grant family home. At dinner, his father, Nicholas Grant, let out a cold huff and set down his cutlery. Martha Bond, his mother, glared at Nicholas before turning to look at Sebastian. The first year she married Nicholas, her best friend died in a plane crash, leaving behind a 12-year-old son, Alexander Dennings. The Grant family adopted him and later gave him their last name. Martha didn't conceive until she was 33, giving birth to their daughter, Mallory Grant. Both Alexander and Mallory were left in charge of the Grant Group. At 45, Martha finally had twin boys, Florian Grant and Sebastian Grant. However, the twins were abducted in a notorious kidnapping case that rocked the city. Only Sebastian survived. At the thought of her dead son, Martha's eyes reddened. But seeing the cheerful atmosphere at the family dinner, she discreetly wiped her tears and focused on her surviving son. He had always been reliable and never given them any cause for worry. The only problem was when it came to matters of the heart, which was an alarmingly blank part of his life. More than once, Martha had wondered if her son suffered from an undisclosed condition. She was already in her 70s, and she was normally always cheerful. However, tonight, she looked at Sebastian sternly. "Sebastian, why didn't you meet with the Lawson family's daughter on Wednesday?" "I see," Sebastian replied. "What do you mean by that?" Martha rubbed her temples. "I've met Sabrina. She's beautiful. She often came to play at our house when she was little. Both your grandfathers were comrades-in-arms, so you should at least meet her and get to know her." She added, "Even if you don't like her, you have to start somewhere. You're almost 30 now." Sebastian frowned. "If that's what you want, you can make the arrangements."