Hanging up, Citrine stubbed out her half-smoked cigarette and drove off.

The twenty-minute drive somehow stretched into half an hour.

When she finally pulled up to the restaurant, Citrine didn't go in right away. She just stood on the sidewalk, letting the wind bite at her skin until her hands were numb and stiff. Only then did she take a sharp breath, muster her courage, and Get full chapters from Find✶Novel.net

push the door open.

"Citrine." Sebastian Vesper's neutral expression instantly melted into a warm smile the moment he saw her.

"Sorry I'm late." Citrine tried her best to make her own smile look natural, but Sebastian saw right through it.

His brow furrowed slightly. "What's wrong? Did something happen? You don't seem like yourself."

A flicker of panic crossed her eyes before she met his gaze. "I'm just a little tired from the drive, I guess. Not feeling my best."

He looked at the young woman before him-still just a kid, really-juggling her studies while single-handedly running the company she'd built from the ground up. Seeing the faint, pale smile on her face made his heart ache.

Sebastian suddenly felt helpless. Without a word, he reached for her hand under the table, his fingers lacing tightly with hers.

The searing warmth from his touch was so intense that Citrine couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye.

*How could I ever let someone as wonderful as Sebastian go?*

The thought of what she had to say made her bite her lip, and the color drained from her face.

*If he knew she'd been hiding things, that she'd deceived him, would they even have a future? Probably not. No one could forgive something like this.*

Lost in her thoughts, Citrine didn't even realize how pale she'd become, or how the warmth had completely vanished from her hand.

Sebastian had to say her name several times before she finally blinked. "Hmm?"

Sensing something was truly wrong, Sebastian's brow tightened. "What is it? Your hand is ice-cold."

"It's... it's nothing." Their eyes met for a second before Citrine quickly looked away. She used to adore his gaze, so full of devotion, but now she was terrified to meet those loving eyes.

Something was definitely off with Citrine tonight. Worried, but not wanting to press her, Sebastian decided it was best to get some food in her first. He caught the waiter's eye and ordered for them.

Once their food arrived, he looked again at the woman beside him, whose expression hadn't improved. "Citrine, are you sure nothing's wrong?"

Citrine looked up at him, her throat tight with a bitter lump that stole her voice.

"Just try to eat something," he said softly. He could see the misery etched on her face and decided not to push any further.

Gently, Sebastian took her knife and began cutting the steak on her plate into small, manageable pieces, pushing the plate back in front of her.

He was still the same gentle, thoughtful man he'd always been.

*And she was a liar.*

Citrine hadn't eaten all day, and though her stomach churned with hunger, she had no appetite. Every bite of food tasted like ash in her mouth The meal, which should have taken an hour, dragged or for more than two.

Finally, when she couldn't swallow another bite, Citrine slowly lifted ber head to meet his soulful eyes. She swallowed hard, her voice coming out as a raw rasp. Sebastian.. there's something I need to tell you."

Relief washed over Sebastian's face, and the hint of a smile returned to his eyes. He looked at her with pure adoration, gently running his fingers through herfiam "Finally, he w murmured, his voice low and tender. "You had me worried there for a second, sweetheart."

Seeing the smile on his lips only made the bitter ache in her chest grow stronger.

"Sebastian," she began, her voice trembling slightly, "why are you so good to me? So good I don't think I could ever bear to leave you."