Chapter 129
Chapter: Sebastian’s Frustrations and Myra’s Unexpected Influence
The sun hung high in the sky, casting a perfect light over Bradfort City. It was the kind of day that could calm even the most irritable souls. But Sebastian Hart was far from calm. He had spent the night tossing and turning, haunted by the revelation that Myra’s true identity was kept hidden from him for so long. His mind was in turmoil, struggling to make sense of the situation. He had tried to sleep, but frustration gnawed at him like a persistent ache. The darkness of the night seemed to stretch on forever, and his anger only grew. Lisa, exhausted by his constant fidgeting, had finally left their bed, retreating to the study to escape the storm that was Sebastian.
By morning, Sebastian’s mood had soured even further. Dark circles under his eyes revealed the restless night he had endured. He was already in a bad mood, grumbling about everything he could think of. First, he criticized the housekeeper’s cooking. “No beef in this noodle soup! What kind of kitchen is this?” he barked, staring down at his bowl with disdain. Then, he turned his ire toward the weather. “It’s so hot today. The air quality in this city is awful. Why don’t they do something about it?”
Lisa, exhausted from his constant complaints, had finally had enough. “Why don’t you just go fishing for a while, Sebastian? It might help you calm down,” she suggested, hoping to get a little peace and quiet.
With a huff, Sebastian reluctantly agreed, knowing it was the only way to get Lisa off his back. He grabbed his fishing gear and headed out, the chauffeur driving him to the private club he often visited. But as they passed by the Civil Affairs Bureau, something caught his eye. A black Maybach parked outside, and there, stepping out of the building, was Myra.
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. His anger flared up again. “What is she doing here?” he muttered under his breath. Then he saw it—she wasn’t alone. A man was accompanying her. The sight of the black Maybach, a car he had gifted to Tony for his 34th birthday, only made his blood boil further.
He clenched his fists. “The girl must have some ulterior motive,” he fumed. “She’s using my grandson. How else can I explain Tony’s obsession with her?” His thoughts spiraled into a whirlwind of suspicion and frustration. “She’s already been divorced once, and now she’s after my grandson? What’s her game?”
After the brief detour, Sebastian finally arrived at the club. The lakeside, usually a place of peace, now felt suffocating. He set up his fishing gear and tried to focus, but his mind kept drifting back to Myra. Every time the line failed to catch, his frustration deepened. He cast again, but the hook didn’t sink. With each failed attempt, his anger built.
Just as he was about to give up, he saw a familiar face approaching—the Hay family. Old Master Hay greeted him warmly, and his granddaughter, Sasha, followed behind him, a sweet smile on her face.
Sebastian wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries, but Sasha’s charm was hard to ignore. “Old Master Hart,” she said, her voice soft and welcoming, “how about I help you with your fishing?”
Sebastian barely spared her a glance. “Who are you again?” he grumbled, his patience wearing thin.
“I’m Sasha Hay. I’m handling the Sunny Bay Project for the Hay Group,” she said, trying to maintain her composure despite his cold tone.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow, but his expression didn’t soften. “Ah, yes. I’ve heard about your group,” he said sharply. “I heard you were involved in some shady business—plagiarism and underhanded tactics. Is that true?”
Sasha’s smile faltered, but she quickly recovered. “Old Master Hart, I didn’t come here to talk about business. I wanted to ask if you’d heard about Miss Stark?”
At the mention of Myra’s name, Sebastian’s eyes darkened.
“Miss Stark?” He repeated her name slowly, his voice suddenly colder. “What about her?”
Sasha hesitated, then continued. “Well, I’m sure you’ve heard about her marriage to my cousin, Sean. But it’s strange, isn’t it? She’s already married, and yet she’s still trying to seduce other men.”
Sebastian’s anger flared again. “What do you mean ‘seduce other men’?” he barked. “My grandson is involved with her, yes. But don’t you dare speak about my family in that way.”
Sasha, taken aback by his sudden outburst, tried to salvage the conversation. “But don’t you think it’s odd?” she pressed. “A married woman, still flirting with other men? It’s inappropriate.”
“Who has she seduced?” Sebastian demanded, his voice like ice. “You say she’s married, so why would she need to seduce anyone else? Are you suggesting something about my grandson?” He stood up, his expression fierce.
Sasha was stunned. This wasn’t the response she had anticipated. “I-I didn’t mean—”
“I don’t want to hear it,” Sebastian snapped. “If you’re going to talk about Myra like that, you’d better leave. Now.”
Without another word, he gathered his fishing gear and turned to walk away, but then paused. “And another thing,” he said, looking over his shoulder. “My grandson and Myra just started going out today. They’re not married yet, so there’s no need to make accusations.” He threw one last glare at Sasha and walked off, his mind still buzzing with thoughts of Myra.
Sasha stood there, speechless. She had expected Sebastian to side with her, but instead, he had defended Myra without hesitation. She couldn’t understand it. Why was he so protective of this woman, especially when he had just learned about her criminal past?
As Sebastian walked back to his car, he saw Mark walking by with a bucket full of fish. Still in a foul mood, Sebastian decided to take out his frustration on him. He snatched a large fish from Mark’s bucket and dropped it into his own, scowling the entire time.
Back at the car, Sebastian opened his phone. The first thing that caught his attention was a new story posted by Myra. “The weather is wonderful today,” the caption read. The photo showed Myra’s back as she walked away from the Civil Affairs Bureau, clearly a shot taken without her knowing. Sebastian’s stomach churned at the sight, and he snorted in irritation. Is she flaunting this relationship now?
His phone buzzed with messages from his friends, all teasing him about his supposed public display of affection with Myra. Elliot, Philip, Lucas, and the others were all joking about it in the group chat. Sebastian briefly scanned their messages, his anger rising once more.
But then, he glanced at the large fish in his bucket, and the familiar feeling of irritation took over. He shook his head and started to laugh bitterly to himself. No matter how hard I try to avoid it, she’s everywhere.
Meanwhile, Myra, who had been walking a few steps ahead, glanced over her shoulder. She had thrown the tissue with some smudged ink earlier, but now she felt a pang of guilt. Was it too much?
After walking a little further, she turned around, only to find Tony standing by a black sports car, looking deep in thought. The sunlight reflected off his face, making his features even sharper and more intense than usual. For a moment, Myra simply stood there, unsure of what to say.
Then, Tony noticed her and gave a playful smirk. “Am I too handsome?” he teased, arching an eyebrow.
Myra couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, you are. You’re the most handsome man ever,” she said, her voice full of warmth.
Curious, Myra noticed Tony was still fiddling with his phone. “What were you doing earlier?” she asked, trying to see what had caught his attention.
Tony, looking completely at ease, handed her his phone. “I wasn’t chatting with anyone, if that’s what you’re wondering. I was just checking my messages,” he said, unlocking the phone with a few quick taps.
When Myra saw the lock screen, her face flushed. Tony had used her birthday as the passcode. Her heart fluttered at the gesture, and she couldn’t help but smile. He swiped through his messages, then showed her the screen. “Nothing to worry about. I don’t chat with other women. The only messages I’m looking at are from my friends.”
He handed her the phone, and she smiled to herself. “I believe you,” she murmured. “But I’m curious. What were they saying?”
Before Tony could answer, his phone suddenly powered off. “Battery’s dead,” he muttered. “I’ll just use yours.”
With that, Myra handed him her phone, feeling a strange warmth in her chest as she watched him. Despite everything, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was beginning to change.