Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 270

Scarlett had assumed Sebastian really would arrive in three days, so she definitely hadn't expected to see him walk through the door the next morning.

She stood at the top of the stairs, watching Sebastian as he entered, momentarily frozen.

He seemed to be in a good mood—alone, no luggage, no entourage. When he spotted Scarlett, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he opened his arms. "Come here."

Scarlett instinctively moved to take a step, but quickly stopped herself. "I thought you said three days?"

"Things went more smoothly than expected."

Sebastian didn't elaborate further. He didn't seem bothered by Scarlett's hesitation either, just lowered his head as he came inside and changed his shoes by the entrance.

"Jacob!"

Marco emerged from the study. The moment he spotted Sebastian, he immediately opened his arms and stepped forward, pulling him into a big hug.

The two had a solid relationship. After the cheek kisses and some small talk, they headed toward the living room.

"I've already made arrangements, though I didn't expect you this soon."

Scarlett walked over just in time to hear Marco say that. She immediately looked at Sebastian. She'd had the same question—though Sebastian had already given her an answer, it had basically been no answer at all.

However, Sebastian's response to Marco was pretty much the same.

Marco could tell he didn't want to elaborate. He just gave Sebastian's shoulder a light pat before standing up. The moment his hand landed, Sebastian's brow furrowed instantly.

Marco, who'd delivered the pat, didn't notice Sebastian's discomfort. He quickly stepped away, pulling out his phone to make a call.

But Scarlett, who'd sat down nearby, saw it clear as day.

Though Sebastian's frown was brief—so brief Scarlett wondered if she'd imagined the whole thing.

She sat in the single armchair nearby, occasionally glancing at Sebastian. They weren't far apart—in fact, if Scarlett stretched her legs out just a little, she could touch Sebastian's shin.

But she kept her limbs tucked in, hugging the plushie in her arms, showing no intention of crossing that boundary.

Marco was speaking in Seraphine, his voice low and serious.

Though Scarlett couldn't understand what he was saying, combining it with his earlier conversation with Sebastian, she could roughly guess—probably rearranging the plane, something like that.

Just as Scarlett was concentrating on Marco's call, something brushed against her calf.

She jerked back reflexively, then followed that restless leg up to Sebastian. His face remained cool and impassive, though when his peripheral vision caught her looking, the corner of his mouth curved slightly.

His posture was relaxed, lazy, his foot gently hooking—like a fox playfully teasing with its tail.

At first, Scarlett tried to dodge, but she didn't have much room to retreat. So she could only look over helplessly, her heart beating out of control with each little provocation.

If the old Sebastian had been an untouchable, forbidding mountain, this Sebastian was a cunning fox under moonlight—all that coldness just an illusion cast by the shadows.

This version of Sebastian? Scarlett wasn't used to it.

Marco's call still wasn't over.

Teddy made morning patrols around the villa's perimeter, so he wasn't in the house right now. Even Libbie had gone to the supermarket to shop for groceries.

The beloved soft armchair had become a cage trapping Scarlett.

"Why are you running?"

Sebastian propped his head up, his tone lazy.

Scarlett blinked, remembering yesterday's conversation with Marco. "Why did my cousin go to that psychiatric hospital?"

Though her heart already had a theory, Scarlett still hoped to get some information from Sebastian.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, then took a deep breath, sitting up a bit straighter. "He requested it himself. I just helped find a good facility."

That answer matched her suspicions pretty closely—basically the same as what Marco had told her.

So Scarlett didn't press further, though she was still debating whether to ask for more details. After all, if Michael was also making himself bait, knowing more specifics might make their combined efforts more effective.

But before she could decide whether to ask, Sebastian suddenly leaned forward, his arms reaching past her sides to brace against the armrests.

The soft cushion dipped slightly under the pressure of Sebastian's defined hands.

Scarlett lowered her gaze. From this angle, she had a perfect view of that left hand on the right armrest—a ring on his middle finger, set with a small amber gemstone.

The ring's design was striking.

More importantly, Scarlett recognized it immediately as the work of her favorite designer.

That design came as a set—one women's ring and one men's ring.

A year ago, Edith had fallen in love with this set. Sebastian had purchased it then, saying it would be their wedding rings.

Now he was wearing this ring. Did that mean he'd gotten married?

The thought instantly flooded Scarlett's mind.

Her breathing quickened. If he was already married, why was he flirting with her?

Scarlett's eyes suddenly burned hot. She jerked her head up, her voice thick. "You—"

But she didn't finish.

Sebastian took her left hand and slid the matching women's ring onto her finger.

Scarlett's pupils contracted. Her hand jerked back reflexively, her almost-tears cutting off abruptly with a ridiculous hiccup. "What are you doing?"

"Putting a ring on you."

Sebastian's tone was calm, simply stating what he was doing.

But Scarlett's emotions surged even higher, though she didn't raise her voice to demand answers. She just curled her fingers, the hard ring encircling her fingertip, the large amber stone on the setting pressing against her jaw—even the clean-cut facets felt painfully sharp against her cheek.

"What's this supposed to mean?"

Sebastian moved closer. His amber eyes reflected Scarlett's wary expression.

"This ring's a bit shabby for a wedding ring. Think of it as an engagement ring. I've ordered new ones. Once this is all over, we'll swap them out."

He hadn't actually answered her question.

But that response hit Scarlett right in the heart.

She understood his meaning almost immediately.

Her heart started pounding erratically. Scarlett licked her lips, her eyes flickering slightly, even her heart trembling. "You... that's impossible..."

Her mind immediately jumped to George, far away in Lumaria.

Even though she wasn't actually the Seymour family's bastard, no matter how you looked at it, George would never agree to let her marry into the Howard family.

"Why impossible?"

Sebastian leaned in closer.

Marco had finished his call several minutes ago, but seeing the two of them practically wrapped around each other, he'd tiptoed away.

Right now, only Scarlett and Sebastian were in the living room.

The instant she heard that question, Scarlett's mind flashed through countless reasons, but none of them seemed like insurmountable problems.

The real issue? She couldn't believe Sebastian would actually want to marry her.

"You—"

She was about to say it, but then she saw Sebastian start unbuttoning his shirt!

"What are you doing?!"

Her restrained question instantly turned sharp.