Chapter 16

Evelyn's POV

I can’t see anything in front of me from within the wardrobe. It’s so incredibly dark, which I guess is the way it should be, I think. I hear the door open and look through the tiny crack left between the doors.

I watch Lucas storm into the room. “I want to get back together with Evelyn!” He declares immediately. What the hell is with this man? Where did this desire to get back together even come from?

Sebastian scoffs, shaking his black hair from side to side. He chuckles as he says, “Oh yeah? Has Evelyn agreed to that?”

Lucas rolls his eyes. “I have my ways, obviously.”

“Oh, okay, can’t wait to see how that goes for you,” Sebastian replies, the sarcasm dripping heavily.

“Just remember your place here, Seb.”

“Sorry?”

“Don’t interfere with this! You’re her stepbrother and nothing more. Unless, you know, you want me to reveal your indiscretions to your father and her mother.”

I feel my heart clench in my chest. No, there’s no way he believes that! I told him nothing was going on. Why didn’t he believe that?

But, as I panic, Sebastian lets out another heartily laugh. “Good luck with that. I dare you to try.”

Lucas steps back. “You think I won’t?” He barks.

Sebastian shrugs dismissively. “Up to you.”

Lucas’ mouth drops open, but his anger builds. He starts breathing heavily as he glares at Sebastian.

Before I can gather that he’s thinking and might be thinking, Lucas flips over the chair beside him with a yell. “Fuck!” He barks.

I can’t help but gasp with shock, not expecting this anger from Lucas. I cover my mouth after realizing I’ve made a noise.

Shit, shit, shit!

“What was that?” Lucas complains, looking around the room as if he’ll find the answer that way. I bite my tongue in fear.

“Lucas.”

Sebastian is still calm, but I notice an uptick in his jaw. “Tell you what. I’ll consider your proposal, hm?”

Lucas freezes and furrows his brows. “What?”

Sebastian goes to the door and holds it open for my ex. “You heard me. Now, if you could leave, that’d be great.”

I listen to Lucas huff out some air. “Fine.”

Sebastian sends him away, closing the door and locking it behind him.

I emerge from the wardrobe. I’m grateful Lucas has left. But I immediately begin to question the man.

“Are you really intending to agree to Lucas’ demands? You aren’t wrong that no one would believe him, but what happens if they do?”

Sebastian rolls his eyes and retorts, “Aren’t you the one who wanted this secret to be kept? You tell me what’s going to happen, Princess.”

Conflicted, I just stare. I can never understand him or his intentions. It’s getting out of hand, and I need it to end.

I leave Sebastian’s room without another word, wishing there was a guidebook to how this jackass works.

However, as I close the door behind me and start to my room down the hall, I nearly run into Lucas knocking on my door.

My ex stares at me in disbelief, clearly knowing where I’d been the whole time.

“Fucking seriously?” He groans.

“Lucas, you’re wrong. Sebastian and I aren’t together; we never have been.”

He crosses his arms. “If you don’t get back together with me, I’m making this public knowledge. Everyone will know you’re fucking your brother.”

I throw up my hands in exasperation. “I’m not going to date you again!” I snap. “And there’s quite literally not true!”

Just because we had sex once doesn’t mean it’s a reoccurrence, but that’s not something I need to bring up too.

“You are playing with fire, Evelyn. Do you think everyone will see through your lies?” Lucas bites. “You’re asking to get caught.”

I open my mouth to counter, but there’s a sound of a door opening behind me. I turn around and see Sebastian stepping out of his room.

“Lucas.”

I can tell my ex stands up straighter. “What?”

“I’ll give you money in exchange for your silence. You’d mentioned something back at the beach about needing some. So, I’ll give it to you for a price.”

I watch Sebastian lean his shoulder against the wall, and I wait for Lucas to speak, but he doesn’t. I turn to see him staring hard at the taller man.

“What price?”

“You leave tonight. No ifs, ands, or buts. Get the first plane out of here, and don’t bother coming back.”

I think that no way’ll happen because Lucas is as stubborn as a mule. But, to my surprise, I’m wrong.

“Fine,” he grudgingly agrees.

Sebastian nods once, then slips back into his room.

---

I’m not used to wearing fancy dress clothes. In fact, it’s genuinely weird to find myself in anything formal. I feel stiff and out of my element as I look in the mirror.

The dress goes past my thighs, blushing pink to match the bouquet of flowers Mom has picked out. It’s got fancy straps with beaded gems, and the heels I wear must be at least two inches tall.

I don’t look like myself.

“You look stunning, Evelyn. Really. I love that dress on you,” Ava compliments, looking into the glass with me.

I give her a small smile. “Thanks, Ava.”

“Are you okay?” She asks, getting up to stand next to me.

Am I? Lucas just tried to destroy our family before it was even fully formed, and Sebastian keeps toying with me. Not only that, my mom was about to walk down the aisle.

“I guess so,” I say. I want her to be happy, but the closer we get to the ceremony, the more I realize this is really happening.

“Come on, let’s head downstairs and wait for everyone,” she insists, looping her arm with mine.

I sigh, and we both make our way to the stairs. As we enter the first floor and the living room, I see Sebastian waiting alone.

He lifts his head from his phone, and I watch his eyes light up as he looks me over. God, how am I supposed to keep him at arm’s length when he does shit like this?

He opens his mouth to speak, but my mom walks in at that moment, followed closely by Gregory. The couple looks flawless, and I can even tell my mother is glowing.

“My beautiful bride,” Gregory voices to my mom. “Madelyn, you’re breathtaking.”

He leans in and kisses my mother tenderly.

It’s true. I never imagined seeing Mom in a wedding dress, but her strapless mermaid-style gown perfectly hugs her figure, and her identical curly hair is tamed into a thick bun.

“What happened to Lucas?” Is the first thing Madelyn thinks to ask.

I step up, unsure why that is her first thought. “Urgent matter back in Hawaii. He says sorry and congrats.”

I don’t think he gave a damn about this wedding, but I can’t help protect my mother’s image of the bastard.

“Well, what are we all waiting for?” Gregory asks, wrapping his arm around Mom’s waist. “Let’s have a wedding.”

As the proceedings begin, Sebastian and I end up right next to one another in the front row. Our parents had no maid of honor or best man. They wanted to keep it intimate.

Even though their own children could have fulfilled these roles.

“I have to say,” I lean into Sebastian. “You look handsome in your suit. It looks perfect on you.”

Sebastian smiles at me, and it feels so genuine that my heart skips a full beat. “And you look beautiful, Princess.”

I feel the heat growing in my stomach, but I don’t have time to overthink his compliment because the processional music begins playing. The small crowd stands.

The wedding goes smoothly. It’s a short ceremony, but I still find myself tearing up at the beauty of it all.

Gregory and Sebastian may not be blood-related, but now we’re a real family. That and the fact Madelyn is so happy is enough for me.

After the two say their vows, but before their first kiss as husband and bride, Gregory smiles.

“I have a little surprise for you, Madelyn,” he starts. “A special gift.”

She looks over at me like I might have an answer, but I just shrug in the dark like she is.

Gregory is handed a small box, and he opens it to my mom.

He presents her with a lei, which is a traditional Hawaiian garland. He gives her a look as if to ask her permission to hang it from her neck. She nods, delighted.

As he places it there, I watch Madelyn bite her lip and hold back some tears. She gives Gregory a smile that says so much about how she loves him.

Even I can’t hold back the surprise and astonishment of the gift. It’s so sweet and kind, and I feel tears springing up in my eyes to fall down my face.

Gregory truly loves my mom. And that’s all that matters to me.

Seeing Madelyn so utterly delighted and in love makes the tears fall faster, and I cover my mouth in wonder.

At that exact moment, Sebastian grabs my opposite wrist, not to my mouth, and slips something onto it.

I quickly look down, my eyes growing wider.

It’s a small lei, perfectly fitted for my small wrist. I whip my focus back up to Sebastian.

He smiles at me—and I can tell this isn’t one of teasing and trickery. “It suits you, Hawaiian girl.”

Goddammit it. He’s never going to stop breaking the rules, is he?