From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 283: Tangled Threads

With the last surfaces wiped clean, Sebastian finally set the rag aside. "Alright, now can we talk? You said there was something you needed to discuss in person."

Riley knew he was referring to their phone call.

She nodded toward the staircase. "Let's go to the study."

The quiet of the book-lined room settled around them.

From a folder, Riley withdrew a hefty document and handed it over. "This is the project proposal Anthony sent to the Harper Group."

Placing it on the desk between them, she slid it forward. "You have a copy of this, too, don't you?"

Sebastian took it, flipping it open for a brief confirmation. "Yeah, I do."

His eyes skimmed the pages at an impressive speed before he snapped it shut. He looked up, a flicker of understanding in his gaze. "There are slight differences from the version I received."

A knowing smile touched Riley's lips. "Exactly. Lucas, his grandfather, and I met with Mr. Watson today, too. The proposal he showed them also had its own... variations."

Sebastian's brow furrowed momentarily before his expression cleared, his voice turning grave. "Are you suggesting the project itself is flawed?"

"The moment he started pitching it, something felt off," Riley affirmed, nodding. "With overseas investments tightening up, it's rare to see a deal this large being assembled now.

"And his plan to rope in the Harper Group, Torres Group, and old-money families like the Ashfords?" She shook her head. "If he can't even keep the basic proposal consistent for each party, I don't trust it. There's got to be an angle."

Her eyes held Sebastian's, which had grown more intense with concentration. "I heard today that Anthony plans to visit you in a few days. That's why I wanted to confirm this with you first."

A spark of shrewd amusement lit her features. "He probably never imagined someone would cross-check both versions."

Sebastian's attention lifted completely from the document, locking onto her face.

The intricacies of the business scheme seemed to fade into the background.

His gaze was searing, intent. "You were worried about me?"

Her heart skipped a beat.

Under such direct scrutiny, evasion was pointless.

She met his look squarely. "Yes. I was afraid you might not know his full history or intentions, and could get pulled into this too easily."

Her candid admission darkened his expression, the heat in his eyes deepening into something more turbulent.

He was silent for a long moment before replying, his voice low, "Don't worry. My thoughts run along the same lines. I was never very interested in this project.

"Agreeing to meet him was just a courtesy—he came through a mutual friend."

Relief softened Riley's posture. "That's good to hear."

With the serious matter settled, the earlier, unspoken tension began to seep back into the quiet room.

A glance at her watch confirmed the lateness of the hour.

She stood, smoothing her clothes with a hint of self-consciousness. "I-It's getting late. I should head back."

"Back?" Sebastian caught the word instantly, his eased demeanor hardening again. His lips pressed into a thin line of displeasure. "You're going back to the Ashfords?"

Riley sighed helplessly, "Caleb is still there. I have to keep up appearances. Even though his attitude is shifting because of my infertility, he was the one who saw something in me first.

"And now that he's under the weather, if I walk away and something happens to him, everyone will say it was my fault. That blame will stick to me for good."

Her reasoning was sound, yet it did nothing to soothe the frustration tightening Sebastian's jaw.

A terse "Okay" was his only acknowledgement, followed by stiffly uttered words. "Be careful on your way back."

The words were a concern, but their distant tone struck a wrong note.

Pausing at the doorway, Riley turned to find him staring out the window, his profile taut, a silent storm of emotions playing across his features.

"Is there something else you want to say?" she asked, intuition guiding her.

He dragged his gaze from the night outside, all turbulent feelings now veiled behind a neutral mask.

"No," he stated, his voice flat.

A vague sense of disappointment washed over her.

She offered no reply, simply turning back to leave.

However, her hand had just closed around the cool brass doorknob when his voice, urgent, stopped her.

"Riley."

In the moment she glanced back, he had already crossed the room. Strong arms encircled her, pulling her into the solid warmth of his embrace.

"Mm—"

His kiss swallowed her soft sound of surprise.

The study's gentle light seemed to deepen, gilding the fleeting, breathless connection.

The kiss ended as abruptly as it began.

Sebastian released her lips but kept his arms firmly around her waist, caging her gently between himself and the door.