BILLIONAIRE'S UNINTENDED BRIDE

Chapter 11: Friendship Tested

Chapter 11: Friendship Tested

Every reminder of my past life, of the old Emily, seemed to fuel an inferno of frustration within. Abruptly, I left the dance floor and headed to the bar, seeking solace in yet another drink, while Sebastian stood frozen, lost in a sea of conflicted thoughts.

He eventually noticed me at the bar and, with a decisive stride, approached and removed the drink from my hand. "Emily, that's enough. We need to get you home before you do something you'll regret."

I shot back, defiance flashing in my eyes, "No, I'm not fucking going home. You can leave if you want, but I'm staying. I'm nowhere near done yet. So leave me the fuck alone if you're not going to dance with me."

Ignoring his protests, I returned to the dance floor, determined to lose myself in the music. But Sebastian, his sense of responsibility outweighing his reluctance, followed me. "Emily, please. You're not thinking straight. You're drunk. Let's just go home."

I spun around, my words slicing through the air. "Sebastian, I told you, there's no fucking way I'm leaving now. Not even close. So back off unless you're up for a dance."

Frustration was etched deep into Luke's face as he intercepted me, just as I was about to engage with another man who had been sending me lingering glances across the room. In a swift, almost possessive motion, Luke drew me away from the potential encounter and into his arms. The sudden closeness, the heat of his body.

Is this what you want, Emily?" he asked, his voice a turbulent mix of apprehension and frustration.

"Yes, this is what I want. And stop being so nervous. We're just having fun, Sebastian. Forget about Luke, forget about the old Emily. Just let me have this moment," I implored, my voice a desperate plea for release.

Gradually, he relaxed, his hands settling around my waist as we moved to the music's rhythm. Our gazes locked, a silent conversation unfolding in the

As we continued to dance, the music enveloping us in its rhythmic embrace, I found myself captivated by a new detail in Sebastian's appearance. In the dim light of the club, his eyes revealed a complexity I hadn't noticed before. The blue of his irises, usually so clear, now held flecks of silver that sparkled subtly in the dark. It was a surprising and intriguing discovery.

Curious, I commented, "I never noticed the silver in your blue eyes before. It's quite striking."

He glanced away momentarily before responding, "Yeah, I got these from my dad. Luke's got our mom's eyes." His voice held a hint of something unspoken, a doorway to a past he seldom opened.

I knew of the brothers' contrasting upbringings – Sebastian raised by a father with a criminal background, while Luke had the nurturing of their loving mother. It was a topic often skirted around, especially by Sebastian, who seemed to carry a burden he was reluctant to share.

Seizing the opportunity, I ventured deeper. "Your dad—"

He cut me off sharply, his voice firm with a hint of warning. "Emily, I don't want to talk about my dad. Or my mom. So just drop it."

I pressed on, trying to ease the tension with a smile. "Why not? You need to talk about it with someone. You can't keep bottling things up. Weren't we friends, the old Emily and this Emily?"

His response was tinged with a mixture of sarcasm and curiosity. "Oh, now you recall the old Emily? I thought you wanted nothing to do with her?"

I locked eyes with him, my tone genuine. "Look, I'm not her, I get that. But it doesn't mean I don't care. If the Emily you knew was here, she'd definitely want to chat, to get you to open up instead of bottling everything up."