Signed Mrs. Sterling Chapter 10
Sebastian opened his mouth to explain, but my next question stopped him cold.
“I’ve always wondered, Sebastian. Why were you such a cheerleader for Vanessa? To the point of actively working against me. If you liked her so much, why didn’t you just go after her yourself instead of trying to set her up with Harrison?”
The question was sharp, laced with five years of pent-up resentment.
Sebastian’s eyes widened, and he nearly choked on his water.
“What? Who said I like that woman?” he sputtered, looking at me like I was insane.
I was taken aback. “Then why…”
“I was paying a debt.”
Sebastian sighed, putting down his glass, his gaze turning distant.
“It happened back in high school. Vanessa’s mother was our family’s housekeeper.”
“I was skateboarding in the driveway of our estate when a truck lost control and came barreling toward me. Vanessa pushed me out of the way. I was fine, but her wrist was shattered.”
“The doctors said she might never play the piano again. She spent a whole year in recovery. Even though she healed, it became this huge mental block for her, the reason she gave up on Juilliard.”
“I felt like I owed her. I owed her a dream. So whatever she wanted, I felt like I had to help her get it—and that included Harrison. It’s a classic case of survivor’s guilt.”
So that was it.
In a world where everyone operated out of self-interest, Sebastian’s motives were surprisingly… noble.
My animosity toward him began to fade, replaced by a flicker of sympathy.
“So, you’re a fool too,” I said, swirling the wine in my glass. “Paying off a debt by pushing your best friend toward a woman who doesn’t even love him.”
Just then, Sebastian’s phone rang.
It was the kind of jarring, custom ringtone that meant an emergency at the trading desk.
“What? A system glitch? All the stop-loss orders are failing to execute?” Sebastian’s face went pale. “Shit! That’s millions of dollars in exposure… I’m in Montauk… Okay, I’ll get a helicopter back right now.”
He hung up and looked at me, then at Leo, who was now pretending to be asleep on the sofa, still refusing to let go of me. He was completely torn.
“Julianne, I know this is a huge ask, but I have to get back to Manhattan immediately. If I don’t, my partners will kill me.”
He glanced at the sky, which was quickly growing dark.
I looked down at the child sleeping soundly in my lap, muttering “mommy” in his dreams. I thought of Henry, the child I had once cherished so carefully, who now looked at me with contempt.
It was ironic. And maybe, it was a second chance.
My heart softened.
“Go handle your business. He can stay here with me for the night. I have a guest room.”
Sebastian looked immensely relieved. He even gave me a small, awkward bow that was both comical and sincere.
“I’ll be back to get him the second this is over. You’re an angel, Julianne. If that idiot Harrison knew what he lost…”
He didn’t finish the sentence, just grabbed his car keys and bolted out the door.