Chapter 19

Evelyn

Days tick by with no interaction between me and Sebastian. He drives me back to school but doesn’t say a single word to me. I try broaching several subjects, but he stays silent.

I don’t like this version of Sebastian. Why not tell me what he feels? Why not be open with me the way he has since the beginning?

His heart is obviously hurting, but I want my friend back. Even if he can’t understand why it’s best to be apart, I still want him in my life.

Thinking of Sebastian never being in the picture again makes me sick to my stomach, and I’m lucky I don’t get sick in his car.

When he reaches my place, he parks the car, refusing to even look at me.

“I really wish you’d speak to me,” I try for the last time. But nothing happens. So, I grab my stuff and get out of the car.

Before another thought can come from my mind, he drives off, legitimately burning rubber as he goes.

The wind blows my hair and clothes all around me, and I stand on the pavement watching him break the speed limit to get out of here as quickly as possible.

Our paths cross multiple times throughout the week. Each time, I hope he’ll give me something—anything.

I happen to be with Olivia a few times, too, and she greets him enthusiastically.

“Hi, Sebastian!” She waves, hoping to get him to stop and speak to us.

But it doesn’t do anything. He refuses to look not only Olivia’s way but mine as well.

“Aw, I thought we were becoming friends,” Olivia groans.

“Maybe something happened to him,” I suggest, pretending to be naive on the subject.

“For this long? Someone must have really gotten on his bad side to make him this sour for this long.”

A swift kick to the chest there, Olivia; thank you so much.

I bite my tongue and say nothing as we continue towards classes.

Walking to one of my classes the next day, I nearly run into Willian on the sidewalk.

“Hey there,” he says, grinning. “How’re classes?”

I sigh. “Good. Different, though.”

William nods his head, his dark hair staying firmly in place. “Hey, listen, I’m sure you’re busy right now, but I’d love to grab a coffee later if you want?”

I give him a small, genuine smile. That’s so nice of him to ask me, and honestly, I could really use it.

“Yeah. Tell you what. I have class right now, but want to meet me at the Gordan Café in an hour?” I ask, checking my watch to make sure I still have time to get to class before it starts.

He nods. “Gordan Café. One hour. Got it.”

William’s already waiting for me when I arrive, and we get some coffee before we sit down together at a table.

We’ve just gotten settled when Sebastian comes in from a side door. I cringe from the surprise of seeing him, but I shouldn’t be shocked at this point.

This campus is a lot smaller than I initially thought.

His eyes land on William and then on me. Instead of continuing toward us, he turns around and walks straight back out the door, nearly running into a few students.

“He’s been like this all week,” William says, pulling my attention away from the door. I look back at him, turning my head. “He’s been in such a bad mood; I wonder what could have happened.”

I take a long sip of my coffee, saying nothing.

“Whoever upset him really did a number on him. I haven’t seen him act like this in months.”

That piques my interest, and I finally speak. “What happened months ago?” I question.

William sighs. “You’re sworn to secrecy with this, got it?”

“Of course,” I reply, nodding. What the hell am I about to hear?

“You know Sebastian’s dad? Gregory Cain?”

Obviously.

“He forced Sebastian into business school when he started going here. Obviously, he has interests outside the business realm, but he couldn’t even consider a different option.”

I know the answer, but I ask it anyway. “Why business?”

“Because his dad wants him to run the business one day. He thinks the racing part of Sebastian’s life is a waste. Probably thinks Sebastian’s going to tarnish the family name.”

“I can understand that. From Gregory and Sebastian’s perspectives,” I add.

“I wonder if he thinks something will happen to Seb on the track.”

Well, I certainly never fucking thought that!

William shrugs, drinking his coffee before setting it down and looking back toward the door Sebastian exited. “Wish he’d be honest with me. I know there’s shit he won’t tell me.”

And that’s definitely for the best.

But still, hearing how Gregory sees Sebastian’s interests and desire to take over the company gives me pause. The bag of emotions that overwhelm me make me anxious.

Another secret about his father and his desire to be his own person.

Sebastian really is struggling right now.

A few days later, I’m sitting in one of my optional classes with Olivia at the start of a new week. While I’m reading over some notes I’d taken, she grabs my arm and squeezes it.

“Ow!” I whisper. “Olivia, that hurts!”

She points out something in the room, and my eyes turn to Sebastian walking into the class with some girl.

I didn’t even know he was in this class.

“Oh my God, that’s Sophia!”

I stare blankly at her as if I am expected to know who she is.

Olivia rolls her eyes. “Get with it, Eve! Sophia is a wealthy heiress here! Her family owns the racing club that Sebastian is signed with. She’s supposedly brilliant and funny, too!”

“So, do you want to date her or Sebastian?” I deadpan.

“Oh, I’ll take either at this point,” she teases back.

I raise a single eyebrow. Is my roommate queer?

“Are you not telling me something?” I question.

“Oh, yeah, that I’m secretly hooking up with both Sebastian and Sophia! No, obviously not!” And there goes that chance to find out.

Instead of answering, I watch as the two who are now sitting together are talking and laughing about something.

Some hairs stand up on the back of my neck, and for the first time, I am actually jealous of some girl talking to Sebastian.

So much for wanting to be stepsiblings, Eve, you’re doing a great job!

Ugh, why is my life a soap opera?

After class, I’m heading out the door when I notice Sophia walking into the bathroom with another girl. Something in me feels compelled to follow them, wanting to know who this girl is.

I stand outside the bathroom, listening through the door as she and the second girl talk.

“Can I borrow your eyeliner? Mine got smudged,” one of them says.

“Sophia, your makeup is flawless,” the other replies.

“Look, I need all the help I can get,” she giggles. Then, confidently, she says, “By the way, I’m definitely sleeping with him again tonight.”

Sleeping with ‘him’? Who could she possibly be talking about?

Not…Sebastian, right? There’s no way!

But as I try to deny that thought, images of Sebastian kissing Sophia begin to flood my brain. The air is sucked out of my lungs in a matter of milliseconds, anger and heat rising in my chest.

There’s no way he’d sleep with some rich bitch.

Right?

Driven by a strong and bizarre impulse, I pull away from the door and wait across the hall, pretending to use my phone.

When Sophia exits the bathroom with her perfect red hair, makeup, and tall legs, I feel compelled to follow her. It’s certainly not like me to do this, but I can’t stop myself.

What does he see in her? She’s just a carbon copy of all the other women out there.

Sophia makes it to the gym, and I follow her at a distance. But once she goes behind another door, I lose her. Shit, what happened?

I search all over for Sophia, as if she knew I’d been following her.

I lose track of time but find her seemingly by accident. When I get to the outside of the changing room for the cheerleaders, I hear what sounds like moaning coming from inside.

Is that…

Oh, that’s definitely Sophia’s voice!

Freezing in place, I don’t make any sudden moves or have any ideas about what to do next. Is she fucking Sebastian in there?

My hands ball into fists as I imagine going in there and interrupting the sex. Show both of them not to fuck in such a public place.

As I wonder what to do next, I can sense someone near me. But I don’t react until they speak.

“I didn’t know you had such a kink, my dear stepsister.”

Shit.