Chapter 23 – Waters of Escape
Jacob’s car slid into the diveway of the opulent home, the faint buzz of the motor fading as he cut the igrin paperwork, they were on Madeline.
had been a hard day at work, but his thoughts were on transactions of
Knowing that she would sequite something onty, he had picked up a bag of clothing that he believed would fit her. The burden of the day began to lessen as he left. Knowing that he could provide her with a sate haven, a place so take a breather and work things out, beught a peculiar sense of joy.
Hent the done with his bag and kerekeid te scowled and knocked again, kuder this time, when no one jet
“Madde” Madeline?” be called out, pushing the door open cautiously
It was so silent in the flat that it made his pulte skip a beat. After placing the hap on the couch, he proceeded to inspect each room individually. She hadn’t left because her belongings weLE still thrie. Pot where had she gone?
“Madeline?” Panic began to seep into his voice, just as he was going to lose it, he heard the taint splashing sound of water.
ted to the trat door and pushed it open to enter the patin, he felt a wave of relief upon seeing her. She was laughing lightly and carelessly as she padded and played in the pool.
“There you are” he said, a chockle escaping him.
Madeline turned her head, het fare lighting up when she saw him,
“Join me” the und, her volor teasing
He shook his head with a smile.
“The water’s quite refreshing, just what you red after work” the insisted, moving to the edge of the pool.
The movement prompted her to lean forward, and be noted the way the water glistened over her skin, her chest pressing lightly against the pool wall. He swallowed hard,ddenly feeling the warmth of the evening alt more vividly. He hesitated, then unbuttoned this necktie and took off his suit jacket,
She smiled playfully as he took off his jeans, shoes, and socks, leaving him only in his boxers and undershirt, and the walked into the chilly water, shivering a little but instantly felt the sta oftheday me away.
See? This is good, isn’t it?” she asked, gliding through the water toward him, he noticed how her body moved elegantly in the water, slowly and deliberately. She stepped closet, het mil softening as she saw his stunned expression, and his breath paused,
“Are you say?” she asked, her volor grace,
He blinked, shaking himmell out of his mance,
“Yeah” he said, his smile tu
Shethed her head, ber set!
ringing to her shoulders,
“Hold me, and leam” she said, guiding his hands to her waist.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Jacob leher lead the way. A thiry glided through the water, he felt himself unwinding from her warm, comforting touch. They chuckled as she showed him how to float and gave him gentle splashes when he stumbled.
The two of them eventually came to a halt, treading water and collecting their breath. Madeline looked up at him, her face softening at her eyes met his.
Tacob’s heart was pounding. She was staring at him as if he were the only person in the world, but he wasn’t sure if it was because of the swimming
the leaned in and pressed her lips to his belo erould reply. She put her arms around his neck, he pulled her in for a kiss, only the twoat them were left in the warmth of the sea and the gentle glow of the setting sun is the world vanished in that instant
Sebastian, meanwhile, was entering Emily’s office town. His jaw was clenched and his shoulders stiff as he died himself the diphene was coming. As he walked in, Lily expression was unreadable as she looked up from her deck.
Her fingers drummed against the armrest as she reclined in her cli
“Well, it is in’t the groom without a bride” she said, her tone di ipping with mockery
Seant to her job, he just stood across from her, his gaze steady and unflinching,
“I know everything you did, Emily” he said coolly
She accedan yelkow, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes,
“Do you?”
The all was heavy with tension as the two of them stood still for a minute. Even though Sebastian could feel the rage sing beneath the surface, he made himself remain composed Getting angry would only make Emily have the upper hand because she was still Eindly.
He took a sip back, his volor firm but measured
An he turned to leave, Jums vakre rang out beland bim,
akhat about the materia
He stopped in his tacks, a bitter laugh maraping him as he tied back to face het,
“You’ve gonna have to work for it, Emily. I don’t know, show me why you deserve 11a
She was flows in her chair as he left, a stoner tugging at the corner of his lips. The weight on his chest eased slightly when he let out a long breath outside.
There were ci unandwered questions and loose ends to be settled for now, he had made the initial move, and it was enough.
Chapter 23–Finding Madeline
The following mening, with the burden of his ruined wedding day still present but less oppressive than before, Sebastian dover to work at the office, he had alrady experienced the
deward condele nees, the mucus, and the cutical lookos, alerady walking the hall of shame of being the man whose wife diped Sim sa today wouldn’t be all that bad. He might as well just
He accessed Emil’s lies once again as he sat ken. He kept thinking about the excuse the had offered for her par–de rent. Her rent was actually practically due, but the ant the stated was wildly grated
He clenched his jaw, although he had offered to assist her in good faith, he suddenly residit pet rider the suspicion that her desperate attempt to deftand him was motivated moje by manipulation fun by need.
He called Madeline we as the day was coming to an end in the hopes that she wouldfinally pick up, manner. He tried her mother instead, frustrated, the older woman, who said that she had’s headhon Madhe rithet, sounded just as word. The emptiness in his chest only grew with each untressful rall
Sebastian had alieady decided his course of action by the time he left work the requiredclosure, not only with Emily but also with Made if nothing else, he needed to meet Emily in perso Juden to her justifications, and then make a linal decision about ending things permanently.
He packed in front of her workplace and does there with inte determination than he hadbad in days. As he entered through the plein does of the billing, the receptionist gave him a main portting, he hardly acknowledged her, his mind toed on the limpending showdown.
He saw that Emily’s office do was ajas as he got clones, her laughter waited in the hallway in alte C, Sebatian stopped just short of entering and listened
Pi texted him I was waiting for him by the stales, and, of course, he showed up, typical Sebastian.” Dailly’s voler carried easily the hall, her tone smug and amused
“Eventually, we got intoh, he had me pinned against the wall and then I sawh”
Sebastian fore, his heart pounding, he leaned closer to the door, rateful not to make a sound.
“She was standing at the top of the stairs, staring down at us, that dumb bich Emily continued.
“pulledhim even closer, first to make sure the now everything”
-pos gul, she let the wedding, didn’t she? Good for her, though. Sebastian will always come back to me
A burst of laughter followed, another valce joining ben.
“Seriously? And he doesn’t expect a thing?”
“Notalar” Emily said, clearly celishing the moment,
“He’s even going to send me some money. Five million or more, actually”
What are you even going to do with that much money? the second voice asked.
“Expand my business, of course” Emily replied brezily
“And maybe at myself a line. I mean, why not? He’s always been my safery
Sebastian was an his breaking point. In head spinning, he retreated from the door. He was taken hack by Emily’s weh, which revealed the deliberate cruelty behind her actin addition to thetam that she had been lying about her financial difficulties.
She was aware that Madeline www.wanching, she had done it deliberately. His thoughts were racing with a m allowed himself to be usedasa pawn in Emily’s devious scheme
Trumiltation, disgust, and rage when he arrived at the elevator, he had
Even worse, he had lost Madeline, the only person who had truly cared for him, as a result of his motion of weakness
Sebastian tighorned his hold on the steering wheel as he drove through the congrated steroward Madeline’s workplace. When he got there, the parking lot was half–full, he pulled it a spor nued off the engine and took a moment to gather his thoughts
He didn’t look forward to confronting heroes, but he needed answers, perhaps someone at her office had ward from her or knew where she might be. Sebastiansensed the wei
best gazes as soon as he entered the structure. Heads turned toward him, and cometsation slowed
Even though no one came up to him directly, the sympathy on the expressions was obvious, and the als was heavy with unsaid condemnation. As he passed, he could hear the whispering. “That’s him, lan’s in? The one she
“Yeah, poor pary. Imagine showing up here alter thar”
Sebastian’s jaw tightened as he pretended not to hear. Even as she embarrassment tore at him, he maintained a steady stride. He detested this, the sense of being laughed at, the target al everyone’s pity, it reminded him of his office’s hall of shame. At last, he arrived at Madeline’s boss’s office do
“Comein” she said curtly,
As he entered, the man seated behind the desk hardly raised her head. The faint sound of her ryping filled the room as he atention stayed on the pages in front of her, her eyes raked over him with a chilly, approving gaze when she reentually locked up, her expression a mixture of annoyance and contempt,
“What do you want?” she asked, Iraning back in her chair,
Sebastian berated for a moment, then forced himself to speak,
“I’m looking for Madeline, has she been to work recently?”
The woman taled an eyebrow, folding her arms accoucher diest,
“why do you want to know! You two have history, don’t you?”
“I just need to know if star’s been here, that’s all”
She remained silent for a while, staring at him an though she was debating whether to laugh at him or pore in completely. At last, she let out a loud breath, “Na Shehaui’t been in”
Even though she had no interest in him,
now, too,
“Thank you”
n him, a toy part of him had hoped that he had at least one back in work and was making to put her life back together, but that dieam was gone
The woman remained mute, although her eyes narrowed slightly an though she wanted to my more. With his head jumbled with en mare question than before, he pivoted on his baland bed. The conversations grew louder and the looks appearedeven more intense as he walked past her coworkers once more,
This site, he didn’t care.
