Chapter Six

Amelia

The party is already in full swing by the time Seb and I arrive. It's as private as any corporate party can get with only top executives and business magnates in attendance. I recognize some of the faces, and I wave hello as we navigate through the throng of bodies in fancy dresses and expensive suits. Soft jazz music is playing in the background while servers waltz through the crowd with platters of canapés.

There are no cameras in sight, but I know that pictures from the event will somehow make their way to the media by morning. It's the thirtieth anniversary party for Ecotech Inc., after all, one of the leading tech companies in Chicago. The CEO, Gabriel Foster, is a great man, one of the few people that I respect in the Chicago entrepreneurial world, and so even though the invitation had come at the last minute, I couldn't deny it. Thankfully, Seb agreed to be my date.

I smile up at him now, winding my arm tighter around his. I still feel the same way I did an hour earlier when he showed up on my doorstep to pick me up. I opened the front door and there he was, looking like a dream in his dark tailored tux with his long hair swept back stylishly. And then he brought out his hand from behind his back and presented me with a potted flower. A burst of butterflies erupted in my stomach, causing me to sputter and giggle like some love-struck teenage girl.

It felt like a scene from a movie, and I'm the main character.

Everything I've felt for him up to that moment suddenly makes sense. I've fallen in love with Seb. And although I'm not sure what to do with that discovery, I'm determined to live in the moment.

"I can't wait to introduce you to some of my friends," I say, looking around for my brother and his wife. "They've been dying to meet my fiancé."

My fiancé. I say the word like it's real. I want it to be real.

"I look forward to meeting them," Seb says, looking at me with a tender smile.

I returned his smile, momentarily lost in the warmth of his captivating blue eyes.

"Amelia!" calls a familiar, bubbly voice.

I turn around, falling into the embrace of my best friend and sister-in-law, London Farrell.

"Hey, Lon! How're you doing?" I ask, pulling back a little to look at her with a surprised laugh. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Curt and London rarely attend corporate parties like this one. Curt says they're too boring for his liking and London says she can't get used to the scene, but I suspect the two of them just love their own company too much. Running into her here like this is a pleasant surprise.

London laughs, a tinkling, heartwarming sound. "Yeah, Curt got an invite from Damon. You know how his wife, Dana, is best friends with Gabriel's wife. Anyway, the twins are away for summer camp, so Curt and I decided to step out and have some fun since it's a private party and all."

"Speaking of Curt," I say, looking around for my brother. "Where is he?"

"He stopped to talk to one of his clients. He… oh, here he comes," London says, gesturing in a general direction.

I look up to see my brother, tall and sure as always, making his way towards us. He stops beside his wife and drapes an arm over her shoulders, smiling into her eyes for a brief, intimate moment.

"Hey, muffin," Curt says to me with a fond smile that never fails to warm my heart. Then he turns to look at Seb, his smile unwavering. "Is this the gentleman that saved your ass?"

I roll my eyes playfully. "Be civil, Curt."

"The irony," he replies with a cheeky smile and holds out his hand to Seb. "Pleasure to meet you; I'm Amelia's beloved brother, Curt Farrell."

Sebastian takes his outstretched hand, his grip as firm as his smile. "The pleasure is mine. I'm Seb. Sebastian Knight."

"Meet my gorgeous wife, London," Curt says, gesturing at his smiling wife.

"She's also my best friend," I chip in quickly.

"Pleasure to meet you," Seb says, gently shaking London's hand.

"I'm happy to finally meet you," London says, returning his smile. "Amelia told me how much you've helped her stay out of trouble."

"I'm happy to help," Seb replies, flashing me a quick wink.

"May I interest you in a glass of whiskey while we discuss… business?" Curt asks. He has the subtly assessing smile he always wore whenever I brought a boy I liked home in high school. They never called me back after he had a "friendly talk" with them.

"You're not taking him away to ask weird questions, are you?" I ask, genuinely worried despite trying to keep my tone light.

"Stay out of this," Curt says with mock sternness, then looks at Seb. "Shall we?"

"Excuse us, ladies," Seb says. And then with one quick, reassuring squeeze of my hand, he walks away with Curt. It wasn't until he let go that I realized he'd been holding my hand all the while.

I watch them walk away, both men proud and domineering. They command so much attention. It's hard to believe that Seb is just an artist. It's easy to picture him in this room full of executives, talking billions in hushed whispers and sipping expensive champagne.

"He's hot; I can see why you can't take your eyes off him," London says, her wry tone effectively cutting through the haze in my head.

"London!"

"There are stars in your eyes, girl," she says with an unrepentant laugh. "You're in love."

"I am," I reply with a giggle.

London's smile grows wider, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I have a wedding to plan!"

I roll my eyes at her. "Don't jump your guns, love. I haven't even told him how I feel." My stomach churns with anxiety, a feeling I've held off for so long. "He may not feel the same way."

"Girl, are you crazy?" London laughs. "Have you seen the way he looks at you?"

"I'm not sure…"

"You should tell him how you feel," London says in a gentler tone.

"Soon," I say, hoping my smile looks convincing. "When the time is right."

London looks like she's going to say something to that, but then decides against it. Instead, she reaches out to touch my hand briefly with an encouraging smile.

"I see Lily Foster and Dana Ford over there," she says, pointing ahead. "Want to go say hi?"

I shake my head. "I don't think I'm ready to socialize. I'll go find something to drink."

"I'll see you around," London says with a wave.

I make my way to the makeshift bar at the end of the large room, generally avoiding eye contact. I heave a sigh of relief when I get to the bar without being intercepted by anybody; they all seemed occupied with maximizing the deal-making opportunities that were sure to be at a party like this one.

"A glass of white wine," I say to the young, red-faced bartender.

He nods and pours me a drink in a tall glass and slides it over, coloring up even more when I smile at him.

"If this isn't the heavenly Amelia Farrell."

I look up to see Derek Sawyer sliding onto the empty stool beside me. Derek is a tall man with dreamy green eyes and a body to die for. He owns a fleet of bars, nightclubs, and casinos around the world and also happens to be friends with Gabriel Foster, so it's no surprise to see him at a fancy shindig.

I met Derek at a deck party a few years ago. He'd saved me from tumbling headfirst into the sea after indulging in too much of the fruity drink that was served. We hit it off on the spot. For a few months after that, we'd both danced around the possibility of something more, but in the end, we decided we were better off as friends.

I don't know if it's his easy smile or the air of simplicity about him, but there's something about Derek that always seems to brighten the mood. His timing couldn't have been more perfect; I was just about to sink into a hole of doubt and anxiety.

"It's so good to see you, Derek," I say, leaning in for a quick hug. "Last I heard, you were in Asia."

"Last I read, you were engaged," he counters with that big, boyish smile of his, then makes a face at my hand. "Now I see it's true. I'm heartbroken."

I glance at the elegant ring that Seb and I chose for our fake engagement with a wry smile. Did it always feel so real?

"Oh, please don't be so dramatic," I say, playfully rolling my eyes at Derek.

"By the way, I saw you come in with Sebastian Knight earlier," Derek says, searching my face with an indecipherable expression. "He's not your fiancé, is he?"

"Do you know Seb?" I ask with an excited smile.

"Of course I know him," Derek says, his expression hardening. "He's the bastard that killed off my business in Puerto Rico."

"What do you mean?" I ask, blinking at him in confusion. "He's an artist."

"He's a fucking corporate raider," Derek says. "You know ACE Investments, don't you? It's one of the biggest equity firms around here. Knight owns it. Technically, it's a family business. His older brother was running it before he died. On the surface, Sebastian's distant cousin, Cole Barlow, is the CEO, but it's Sebastian that really runs things.

"He's merciless when it comes to business acquisition. He uses the most underhanded methods I've ever seen. He rarely handles business personally, so only a few people have had the misfortune of meeting him. He's nicknamed the Wrecking Ball. You know why?"

I shake my head slowly, dazed.

"Because when you meet him, your company's already gone to dust," Derek says. "There's never a way out. He wanted my casino in Puerto Rico. I fought hard and pulled together all my resources, but it was useless in the end. He bought out the casino, demolished the building, and erected a fucking hotel in its place."

"This… this isn't true," I mutter, shaking my head, unable to process everything Derek has just told me. Or unwilling to. "It can't be. Seb is an artist."

Derek reaches out to touch my hand lightly, his eyes filling up with an emotion that looks annoyingly like pity. "You really should stay away from him, Amelia. Sebastian Knight is bad news."

I stand up from the stool and stumble away from him. "Thanks, Derek. I- I need to go."

I turn around without waiting for him to say anything else. At that moment, I resent him for shattering my illusion – for breaking my heart so brutally. I know it's irrational, but right now, I can't stand to see him.

I find Sebastian near the dance floor, quite removed from the jostling bodies around him. He looks up, and our eyes meet. His face lights up and falls in the same breath, his expression morphing into concern. He closes the distance that separates us and takes my hand gently in his.

"Are you alright, butterfly?"

"I want to leave," I say coldly, pointedly pulling my hand away. "Now."