From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 72: The Owner Revealed

The girl with the high-pitched, whiny voice broke down again, shouting, "Why are you throwing us out? This is a public place—we paid to be here!"

Sebastian's eyebrow lifted slightly, but his tone grew even colder. "Because this is my house. Got a problem with that?"

The sudden shift in his demeanor sent a chill through the whole group.

They were just college kids, after all.

But even they had heard rumors—the owner of this lounge wasn't someone you crossed in all of Havenbrook.

By the time that sank in, it was already too late. Security had closed in without a word and began escorting them firmly toward the exit.

As the unwanted crowd dispersed, the noise around the booth dropped instantly.

In that sudden pocket of quiet, Riley became acutely aware that Sebastian was still holding her hand, his grip warm and steady.

She pulled back as if she'd been zapped by static.

The moment her hand slipped from his palm, she could have sworn Sebastian's eyes flashed with something like... annoyance.

But when she looked up, his gaze was fixed on his now-empty hand, dark and unreadable.

A subtle, awkward tension settled between them.

Riley took a sip of water, trying to hide the warmth creeping into her cheeks.

To fill the silence, she grasped for a new topic. "So you own this place? Was that warm milk from you earlier?"

Sebastian finally looked up, then slid into the seat beside her as if it were the most natural thing in the world, closing the distance between them in one smooth move.

"Not exactly," he replied. "A friend of mine runs it. I'm an investor, so I stop by sometimes to keep an eye on things. That's how I spotted you and your friend."

Riley nodded, understanding dawning.

Just then, Lydia returned from her phone call, her brows still knit in irritation over whatever she'd been discussing. But the moment she saw the scene in the booth, she froze completely.

"What the..." Lydia's face twisted in bewilderment as her eyes landed on Sebastian, who was now sitting unusually close to Riley. "Was I gone for, like, ten minutes? Did I miss the whole show?"

Riley took in her best friend's utterly lost expression and couldn't help but feel a surge of amusement.

She lifted her water glass and clinked it gently against Lydia's wine glass, not bothering to correct her.

"Just ran into him," Riley said lightly. "Guess I got lucky, huh?"

Lydia's eyes swept over Sebastian's unfairly handsome face, which now wore a faint, amused expression. She shot Riley an impressed thumbs-up.

"That's my girl. Shooting straight for the top shelf. No wonder you turned down that free drink from the manager earlier!"

"Oh?" Sebastian raised a brow, glancing at Riley with playful curiosity. "What manager? Do I have competition?"

Riley hadn't expected him to lean into the bit so effortlessly—playing the role of the attractive stranger she'd just charmed.

His mock-wounded look, so at odds with his sharp, cool-edged appearance, hit Riley's funny bone just right.

She felt her mood lift like it hadn't in ages.

Under the booth's intimate, low-hanging light, Riley let her eyes curve into smiling crescents.

Feeling bold, she reached out and gently traced a finger along the line of Sebastian's jaw.

"Good boy," she said, her tone dipping into something indulgent. "No competition. Right now, you're the only one that matters."

The suggestive words, paired with the intimate touch, sent the temperature around them rising.

Off to the side, Lydia looked like her jaw might actually hit the floor.

She stared, utterly stunned.

Was this the same Riley who'd been worn down by all the Ashford family drama?

Since when did she get so smooth?

It was like she'd unlocked a whole new level of charm overnight.

But Lydia was no fool. As shocked as she was, she could read a room.

Everything about the man in front of her—from the effortless, ingrained poise in his movements to the sharply carved features that bordered on intimidating—screamed old money and influence.

He was nobody's arm candy.

Still, as a best friend, Lydia could see plainly that Riley's happiness in that moment was real.

So she smartly kept her questions to herself.

Who cared about his real story? If Riley had found someone who made her light up like that, it was all that mattered.

Having settled that in her mind, Lydia raised her glass. "Alright then, a toast to Riley—finally getting herself a real man!"

They lingered a little longer before Riley checked the time and decided it was time to head home.

Sebastian stood immediately, grabbing his suit jacket from the back of the couch. "I haven't had anything to drink," he said casually. "Let me drive you back."

Under normal circumstances, she might have agreed.

But tonight, she was in a teasing kind of mood.

"No need," she replied, shaking her head with a soft smile. "We'll catch a cab. It's easier."

Then she tossed Sebastian a playful wink. "Be good. I'll text you tomorrow."