Living with the Harringtons

The mens room

Sebastian's eyes scanned the dance floor, half-listening to Chloe after the girl he had his eyes on was pulled away. She seemed strangely familiar, and he was curious about her.

After a few more minutes of enduring Chloe's unending chatter, he spotted the girl again, making her way down the stairs and into the crowded hallway. He excused himself from Chloe's presence and followed her. Before he could slip away, he felt his arm being jerked backward. He turned to see Veronica.

Sebastian halted, surprised, barely masking his irritation as he faced his ex, who had a firm grip on his arm. Her expression was playful, but her grip was anything but casual.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" she asked, arching a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. Her voice held a teasing edge, but her eyes flashed with a hint of jealousy.

"Away from you," he replied coldly, his patience wearing thin.

Veronica's grip tightened, her nails digging into his skin, and she forced a smile. "Oh, don't say that. Don't you want to catch up? I saw how miserable you looked with Chloe over there," she said, pointing to the blonde girl.

"Let go, Veronica. Don't make a scene," he said steadily, a hint of warning in his tone. He felt his anger growing, the sensation spreading throughout his body.

She refused to let go. "Oh, come on. You know you can't get rid of me that easily. We're perfect together, Sebastian. Don't you see that?"

Sebastian's jaw clenched, maintaining control. He stood composed as her grip tightened. "Perfect," he laughed under his breath. "You're crazy, and I think I made myself clear. Stay out of my way," he spat.

Veronica let out a breathy laugh, unfazed by his reaction, as she stepped closer. "You think you can just walk away from me? Sebastian, we had something special," she whispered, her gaze intense, hinting at a desperation she tried to mask. "I know you feel it too. No one knows you like I do."

Sebastian's stomach twisted with disgust. This girl was sickly obsessed with him, and he needed to get away. If only he had noticed the signs earlier.

"I said walk away," he warned as he finally yanked his arm free from her grip.

Sebastian could feel the weight of her stare burning into him, but he refused to look back. "You'll regret this," he heard, but without another word, he walked toward the hallway, looking for the girl.

He moved swiftly through the dimly lit hallway, his pulse still racing from the previous encounter.

He spotted the masked girl at the far end of the hallway, slipping into a room. His steps quickened, instinct urging him to follow. It seemed she had entered the men's restroom.

Sebastian paused at the entrance, hesitating for a brief moment before stepping inside. The sound of muted chatter and music from the hallway faded as the door closed behind him, leaving him in the quiet space. His eyes scanned the luxurious restroom to see they were the only ones around. He caught a glimpse of her silhouette, standing near the sink as she adjusted her mask, her back to him.

"I think you're in the men's room."

Sebastian's voice broke the stillness, his words laced with amusement. The girl didn't immediately respond, but he could see her stiffen, clearly realizing she'd made a mistake.

She slowly turned to face him, her eyes slightly wide with surprise, her mask still partially in place but askew from the moment of adjustment. "I—" she began. "I think I might have had a bit too much champagne," she muttered.

Sebastian's brow furrowed as the girl wobbled slightly on her heels. He quickly stepped closer, steadying her with one hand at her elbow before she could lose her balance completely. "Careful," he said, his voice softer than usual, as he watched her.

She looked up at him, her expression momentarily flustered. Her eyes wide and blinking in surprise as her mask slid off her face, revealing her flushed features. The recognition hit him like a sudden wave, and his breath caught in his chest. "Amaya?"

Her head tilted slightly as she squinted, trying to focus on him. "Sebastian?" she said in disbelief, her voice slurring a little as she steadied herself. "Don't touch me," she said, pushing him away.

Sebastian's stomach tightened as he caught her arm, keeping her steady.

"You're drunk," he muttered under his breath. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. "Can't say I expected to see you like this, Amaya. You're wasted," he said, clearing his throat. "You shouldn't be here like this. I'll take you home."

Amaya shook her head. "What? No! I'm fine. Actually, I'm better than fine. Better than ever, if I'm being honest. I'm staying right here."

Sebastian took a deep breath. "Amaya, it's time to go. You've had enough."

She bit her lip. "I don't need you telling me what I need," she remarked. "Why do you even care?"

He looked down at her. "Look, I don't need you to cause any trouble, so how about you listen to me this once?"

"How about you mind your own business, huh?" she muttered before ripping her arm away from his grip. But in her state, she lost her balance, landing against his chest. The sudden impact made him stumble back, slamming into the sink. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist as they ended up pressed against each other.

Before they could react, the door to the restroom creaked open, and Sebastian's eyes shifted toward the entrance just as three guys walked in. They froze when they saw the inconvenient position the two were in.

The newcomers' expressions morphed into a mix of surprise and curiosity. "Oh, it looks like Harrington here has got his hands full, innit?" one of them sneered with a smirk as he took a picture of the two.

Sebastian's gaze darkened. "I suggest you delete that photo and leave. Now," he warned.

"Oh come on. Why so serious, Sebastian?" the guy asked, laughing.

"And you are...?" Sebastian mocked.

The guy scoffed at the comment.

"I said, delete it," Sebastian repeated, his tone colder now, every word cutting like ice. His posture shifted as he fully turned toward them. Everyone at the party knew Sebastian's reputation, and any minor slip-up could end up in the tabloids.

The guy smirked as he began to tap away on his phone, and before he knew it, Sebastian had shoved him hard against the door, knocking the phone from his hand, the screen shattering from the impact. His forearm pressed tightly against the guy's chest.

The guy let out a startled breath, his smirk disappearing. "What the hell, man?" he spat, trying to push himself away from the door. The other two guys froze, their eyes darting between Sebastian and their friend. "What the fuck, Harry. Just delete it and let's go," the shortest one said.

The tension in the air was thick. "How about you delete that photo now?" Sebastian snapped, pushing slightly too hard as the door opened up into the hallway, making the guy fall flat on his back. The hallway grew silent as Harry landed on the floor. Sebastian towered over him before taking a step back.

Harry scrambled to his feet, muttering curses under his breath, his ego more bruised than his body. His two friends rushed to pick him up, cautiously glancing behind them as they walked away.

Sebastian's jaw tensed as he heard the hallway break out in whispers, some people lifting their phones to capture the scene. He could already see tomorrow's headlines: "The Young Harrington's Questionable Behavior."

He turned to see Amaya stunned, her eyes wide, realizing what had happened. "Let's get out of here," he muttered as he grabbed her hand and led her through the curious crowds.

Amaya simply nodded as she followed silently, too dazed to notice Chloe standing in the crowd with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Across the hallway, Oliver watched them as well, his eyes narrowed.