From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 39: Caught in His Arms

Of course, even with a hundred times the nerve, he never would've guessed that the woman Sebastian had tucked away in the restroom was Riley—the very wife he'd just described as devoted and willing to set aside her career for their family.

Sebastian paused at the sound of Riley's voice, then slowly raised a brow, his lips curling into a faint smirk.

"Sorry, Mr. Ashford," he said, not bothering to mask the suggestiveness in his tone. "You've caught me at... a rather inconvenient moment."

Lucas shifted uncomfortably.

Sebastian wasn't even trying to be subtle—he was practically ushering him out. Staying any longer wouldn't be networking; it'd just be awkward.

"Since you have personal matters to attend to, I won't keep you," Lucas replied, rising from the sofa a little too quickly. "We can schedule a round of golf some other time when you're free."

Sebastian gave a slight nod, skipping the usual polite formalities. "I'll have my assistant walk you out."

Once Lucas left the office, he stood alone in the quiet hallway, clenching his fists as frustration simmered inside.

Business genius? More like entitled trust-fund kid.

In Lucas' eyes, Sebastian was just lucky—born into the right family, handed everything on a silver platter.

Hiding some woman in his office bathroom during work hours... If it weren't for the Torres family's legacy and connections, would Sebastian even be where he was?

The more Lucas replayed the encounter, the angrier he felt.

He believed he had just as much drive, strategy, and sharpness as Sebastian did—maybe more.

With a hardened expression, he strode toward the elevators.

Once I have full control of Ashford Group and the family assets firmly in my hands, I'll show everyone what real success looks like.

Back in the office, after listening until Lucas' footsteps faded down the hall, Sebastian stood and made his way to the restroom.

Inside, Riley was growing restless.

It had gone quiet out there—had Lucas left?

Was Sebastian upset that she'd called him "Sebby" in front of him?

Her mind swirled with possibilities, but the thick door muffled any sound from outside.

After a moment's hesitation, she carefully rose onto her toes and leaned closer to the door, trying to catch any hint of conversation.

Just as she tilted her head forward, almost touching the wood—

The door suddenly swung open without warning.

"Oh—!"

Riley lost her balance completely, lurching forward helplessly.

But instead of meeting the hard floor, she was caught around the waist by a strong, steady arm.

Sebastian pulled her gently against him, halfway rescuing her from the fall, halfway drawing her into a firm, warm hold.

The clean, crisp scent of cedar wrapped around her.

For a second, her heart stuttered.

She was pressed right against his chest.

Above her, his voice came low and lightly teasing.

"I wrapped things up as fast as I could. But you didn't have to throw yourself at me, you know."

Heat rushed to Riley's cheeks.

She pushed back from him as if shocked, stepping away to regain her balance, then looked up flustered—only to meet Sebastian's amused gaze.

"I'm sorry!" she said, the words tumbling out. "I didn't mean to make you look... unprofessional. It's just—hearing Lucas twist everything like that made me so mad, and I couldn't exactly march out there and set the record straight, so I..."

In her hurry to explain, she didn't realize she was only making it sound more suspicious.

Sebastian watched her rare loss of composure with clear amusement.

He took a step closer, his tall frame leaning slightly into her space.

Then he dipped his head, bringing his face near enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath.

"We're getting married in a month," he murmured, a hint of a laugh in his tone. "What professional reputation is left to ruin, anyway?"

The closeness—his scent, his words, the handsome face now only inches from hers—it all rushed over her senses at once.

Riley realized, with a jolt of self-awareness, that she was... actually a little flustered in a way that had nothing to do with embarrassment.

She cleared her throat softly, trying to settle the sudden flutter in her chest, and silently scolded herself.

It's just because I spent so long only seeing Lucas, she reasoned. I'm not used to anyone else standing this close.

Putting on a calm front, she lifted her chin. "It's getting late. Should we... get back to the project notes?"

Then she smoothly stepped around him and retreated to the sofa.

Sebastian watched her near-escape, a subtle smirk playing on his lips.

For the next hour or so, they both slipped easily back into work mode.

Riley reviewed every project document carefully, making notes and clarifying details.

By the time they wrapped up, evening had settled in, the sky outside darkening into night.

When Riley finally drove back to Ashford Manor, she found Anthea waiting stiffly in the living room, her expression stormy.

The moment Riley walked through the front door, Anthea set down the TV remote with a sharp click.

"Where have you been all this time?" she demanded. "We had important guests over this morning, and you—as part of this household—weren't even here to welcome them. What kind of impression does that give?"