SCARRED HEARTS

CHAPTER 8:CUT

The days after that conversation in Sebastian's office felt like a slow unraveling, each thread of certainty pulling away from her until there was nothing left but a raw, exposed version of herself. Lila's heart thudded in her chest every time she looked at Sebastian, every time she walked past his office, every time his name flashed on her phone. It wasn't just the work that was consuming her anymore—it was him.

Sebastian's presence seemed to follow her everywhere. Even when he wasn't physically near, his words lingered, his challenge sitting at the back of her mind. "Are you ready to step up?" he had asked. At first, she thought she had an answer. She was ready, right? She had the ambition, the drive. She'd worked for years to get where she was. But now, with his piercing eyes always watching, with his expectations looming large, she was starting to wonder if she really understood what that question meant.

The truth was, she wasn't sure anymore.

The office was nearly empty when Lila arrived early one Thursday morning. She had a lot of work to catch up on—deadlines she hadn't been able to meet the day before and emails that had piled up. But her mind wasn't really on the work. It never seemed to be anymore.

She set her bag down on her desk and got to work, forcing herself to focus on the reports in front of her, willing herself to tune out the rest of the world. But it was difficult, too difficult. Every time she tried to think clearly, her thoughts kept slipping back to Sebastian. What does he want from me?

She had a feeling that the deeper she got into this world, the more he was going to ask of her. The more she would be forced to question herself. She had always prided herself on being self-sufficient, not needing anyone, least of all a man who seemed to thrive on control and power.

But Sebastian? He was different. There was something magnetic about him, something that pulled at her every time she looked at him, no matter how hard she tried to look away.

The door to the office creaked open, and Lila barely glanced up. She'd been working in near silence for the last hour, too consumed in her own thoughts to notice anything else.

"Still at it?" The voice was familiar, deep, and calm. Sebastian.

Lila straightened up in her chair, forcing herself to look at him. He was leaning against the doorframe, his usual confident posture making her stomach flip. The sight of him always did that to her—made her feel small, as if her world suddenly narrowed to nothing but him.

"I've got a lot to finish," she said, trying to sound unaffected. "You know how it is."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "I do," he said, stepping into the office. "But I also know you've been burning the candle at both ends, Lila. It's not good for you."

Lila felt a flush rise in her cheeks. She hated how he could always see through her, see the cracks she tried so hard to hide.

"I'm fine," she replied, but the words felt hollow, even to her own ears.

"Are you?" He moved closer, his gaze never leaving her face, his steps deliberate and slow, making the space between them feel charged, electric.

Lila forced herself to hold his gaze, even as the tension in the room thickened. "Yes," she said, her voice quieter now.

Sebastian didn't answer immediately. He stepped around her desk, leaning against it just inches from where she sat. He studied her, his gaze intense, as though he were weighing every word she'd just said. His nearness sent a flutter through her chest, and Lila quickly looked away, unwilling to let him see how much he affected her.

"I don't think you are," he murmured, his voice low and almost too close. His hand reached down, brushing against a loose strand of her hair, pushing it behind her ear. His touch was light, casual even, but there was an undertone of something deeper in it—a reminder that he held the power, that he had the ability to pull her into his orbit, whether she wanted to be there or not.

Lila's breath hitched. "I'm fine," she said again, though her voice was barely above a whisper.

Sebastian's fingers lingered by her ear for just a second longer, and then he pulled back, though his eyes never left hers. "We'll see," he said simply, turning toward the door. "Take a break, Lila. You've earned it."

Before she could respond, he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

Lila sat there for a moment, trying to steady her breathing. Her heart was racing in her chest. She didn't know what it was about Sebastian—his presence, the way he made her feel so alive, yet so vulnerable. She didn't know how much longer she could fight it.

It was later that day, when the office had started to empty out, that something unexpected happened. Lila was organizing some files in a cabinet when she felt a presence behind her. She froze, her body tensing instinctively, already knowing who it was.

Sebastian.

"Lila." His voice was quiet, almost hushed, and she felt a chill run down her spine.

She didn't turn around right away. "What's up?" she asked, keeping her back to him, trying to mask the fact that her pulse had started to race again.

There was a pause, then he spoke again, this time his voice closer, his breath warm against her ear. "I thought I told you to take a break."

Lila sighed, placing the file in the drawer and finally turning around to face him. But she immediately regretted it. He was standing just a few inches from her, his face unreadable, his eyes searching hers like he was looking for something—something that was just out of reach.

"I'm fine," she said, more firmly this time, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to change between them.

Sebastian studied her, as if contemplating something. And then, unexpectedly, he stepped closer. His hand moved toward her, brushing lightly against the sleeve of her shirt. It was casual, just a fleeting touch, but something in the way he moved caught her off guard.

And that's when she felt it—his fingers trailing lightly down her arm, and then, without warning, his hand shifted, catching the hem of her sleeve and pulling it back just enough to reveal the scar on her side.

Lila's heart skipped a beat as she froze. Her breath caught in her throat, her body stiffening as she realized what he'd just seen.

A long scar—thin but jagged—ran down her left side, starting just below her ribs and curving slightly toward her back. It was old, faded now, but still very much present, a permanent reminder of a time in her life she wanted to forget.

Sebastian's eyes lingered on the scar, his gaze softening slightly as he traced the line with his eyes. Lila instinctively pulled her arm back, covering the scar, trying to hide it from his view.

Sebastian's gaze flicked up to her face, and for the first time since they'd met, she saw something different in his eyes. It wasn't just the calculated, predatory look he always wore. No, this was softer, more... curious, almost like he was piecing together something about her, something he hadn't known before.

"What happened?" His voice was quieter now, almost a whisper, the question carrying a weight that made Lila's heart ache.

Lila swallowed hard, her throat dry. She didn't want to talk about it. Didn't want him to see that part of her—the vulnerable side she kept locked away.

But Sebastian wasn't going to let it go. He didn't say anything more, but his silence said enough. He was waiting for her to speak.

Lila took a deep breath, fighting the lump in her throat. "It's... it's nothing. Just a mistake from my past. It doesn't mean anything."

Sebastian didn't respond right away, but his gaze never wavered. He didn't push her to explain further, but there was an understanding in his eyes—a silent acknowledgment that maybe, just maybe, this was something he couldn't control.

For the first time, Lila wasn't sure what to make of it. Was it sympathy? Or was it just another way for him to break her down, to claim another piece of her she wasn't ready to give?

Whatever it was, she couldn't tell. Not yet.

But the scar was out there now. And Sebastian had seen it.

And somehow, that changed everything.