From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 173: The Weight of a Promise

Sebastian's words pulled together every half-formed doubt that had been circling in Riley's mind.

Her eyes widened as she stared at the man in front of her—the one who masked all his hurt beneath that composed exterior.

"So..." she began, voice barely above a murmur. "The only reason you agreed to invest in Aiden's project, even when you knew something was off... was to keep the promise you made to your aunt?"

"Yes."

He gave a single nod, confirming what she'd guessed.

For a second, his gaze dropped. When he looked up again, that fleeting glimpse of vulnerability was gone, smoothed back into the cool, razor-sharp calm he always wore.

"Quinn Group's had internal issues for a while," he explained, his tone matter-of-fact. "Aiden's position wasn't secure. He needed a serious cash injection to cover up the mess he'd made, so he put together this project that looked good on paper. In reality, it was just moving money from one pocket to another.

"He targeted me because he knew with Regina in the picture, I couldn't easily turn him down."

Hearing it laid out like that made Riley's stomach drop.

"But then... doesn't that mean you're basically being played?" she breathed out, almost a whisper.

It was manipulation, plain and simple—using the guilt of the living to pull off a perfectly crafted shakedown.

Sebastian held her gaze. When his eyes landed on her worried expression, they softened just slightly, unintentionally. The corner of his mouth lifted in something close to a teasing curve.

"You worried about me?"

"Well, yeah—because—"

The words rushed out before she could stop them, and then she caught herself.

Because we're engaged?

In this undefined space between them, naming whatever they were felt too deliberate, like handing him ammunition in their quiet back-and-forth.

Her cheeks warmed. She glanced away, flustered.

Seeing her so unusually off-balance, the amusement in his eyes deepened.

He smiled faintly and didn't push it.

"Just because I owe Regina something doesn't mean I'll let Aiden walk all over me indefinitely."

His voice shifted back into that steady, analytical tone he used in boardrooms, and somehow, it settled her nerves.

"The kidnapping back then... there was more to it. I've been looking into it quietly over the years."

Riley turned back to him, startled.

"And besides," he added slowly, "even if Aiden's whole project goes under, it wouldn't make much of a dent for me financially."

The quiet confidence beneath Sebastian's easy demeanor smoothed the ripples of anxiety in Riley's chest.

He wasn't anyone's pawn. He might have seemed like he was giving ground, but in truth, he'd already set the board. He was just waiting for the right moment.

That realization finally let the tightness in Riley's chest ease.

In the living room, the plain plate of pasta had long been empty. Droplets of condensation slid down the Coke can, leaving a damp ring on the coffee table.

Outside, the rain showed no sign of letting up—if anything, it was coming down harder.

On the wall, the clock's hour hand had crept close to midnight.

On a night like this, driving in that downpour was just asking for trouble.

Silence settled between them again, but this time it felt comfortable—an unspoken understanding hanging in the air.

Riley glanced out the window into the pitch black, her fingers tightening unconsciously in her lap.

She looked away, a little awkward, and murmured, "The weather's really bad... maybe you should just stay over tonight. You can... take my room."

The moment she said it, heat rushed to her face.

Inviting a man who was only her fiancé on paper to spend the night at her apartment, even offering him her own bedroom... no matter how she spun it, it crossed a line.

Sebastian's eyes widened slightly.

He clearly hadn't expected that suggestion either. A spark flickered in his gaze and quickly warmed into something brighter, more intense.

"What about you?" he asked, his voice lower and rougher than before.

Riley gestured toward the couch across the room. "I'll manage out here for one night. It's pretty comfortable anyway."

Hearing that, Sebastian let out a soft laugh.

He rose slowly, his tall frame casting a steady shadow in the lamplight.

"Don't worry about it. Though I really do appreciate the offer."

Seeing him move toward the door, Riley followed a couple of steps. "It's pouring outside. The visibility's terrible—it's not safe to drive back now."

Sebastian turned at the entryway. One eyebrow lifted, a confident smile touching his lips. "Don't worry. I always know how to handle myself."

With that, he pulled the door open.

The motion-sensor light in the hallway flicked on.

But then he turned back suddenly, his gaze locking onto hers with a warmth that felt almost tangible.

"So... does this mean we're good now?"

Could the cold tension and the distance that had grown from that misunderstanding finally be over?