Chapter 58 I’m Worth 18 Million Dollars
Sebastian’s POV
When I finally walked through the door, it was well past dinner time. I barely looked at the dining room before heading straight upstairs, pulling out my phone to text her.
"Finished eating? Come here."
I waited, walking around my room like Ryder was walking around in my mind. When she appeared in the doorway, I turned to face her, holding out my hand with a knowing smile.
"Where’s my surprise?"
But she actually said there was no surprise, that she was just fooling me. This made me so angry that I went back to my room. I swore I would never trust this clever woman again!
Suddenly my phone rang.
"What?" I answered, clearly annoyed.
"Sebastian, please come quickly!" Lind ’s voice was high and pained. "I fell and I think I hurt my ankle. I can’t walk. Please, hurry!"
I closed my eyes, counted to three, and went to her room.
Linda was sitting on the floor when I entered, wearing a black nightgown that showed too much. She was holding her knees, her face showing what was supposed to look like pain.
"Are you alright?" I asked, my voice flat.
"Do I look alright?" She gestured at herself. "The floor is freezing. Please, carry me to the bed."
I extended one hand to help her up.
She shook her head, bottom lip trembling. "No, I can’t stand on my own. I wouldn’t have called you if I could manage alone." She clutched her ankle tightly, face contorting with supposed agony.
"Did you actually fall?" I couldn’t keep the skepticism from my voice.
"Don’t you believe me?" Tears welled in her eyes. "If you don’t believe me, come feel it yourself. I think it might be broken."
I didn’t want to waste time on this obvious performance, but I couldn’t completely ignore an injured woman—even one as manipulative and scheming as Linda.
With deep reluctance, I crouched down and lifted her, intending to deposit her on the bed and leave immediately.
She snuggled against my chest like she was trying to burrow into me, making small satisfied sounds that turned my stomach.
"Sebastian, you’re so strong," she murmured, her hand trailing across my shoulder.
Her touch made me feel sick, and I really wanted to let go immediately and drop her on the ground.
I was three steps from the bed when I sensed a familiar presence.
I turned my head and saw Emilia standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock.
For a moment, we stared at each other—me holding her sister in a negligee, her standing there taking in the scene.
Then she turned and walked away without a word.
"Emilia—" I started, but she was already gone.
I practically threw Linda onto the bed and strode toward the door, but her hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.
"Sebastian, you haven’t helped me apply medicine yet!" she said desperately.
I looked at her ankle, she was now standing on it with perfect stability.
I stared at her mockingly.
"Well," Linda said quickly, realizing her mistake, "it seems I’m alright now. You’re such a healer. I’m fine just from you looking at it..."
I yanked my arm free without a word and headed back to my own room, my wolf snarling in my mind.
"Idiot," Ryder growled.
"I was just being a gentleman."
"Since when do you care if people call you a gentleman or a violent maniac? You just let our mate see you with another female. FIX THIS."
I opened my door to find Emilia sitting on the sofa, her face carefully blank, arms crossed.
"When exactly are you sending your sister home?" I asked, going on the offensive because defense felt too vulnerable. "She’s causing problems for everyone here."
Her eyebrow arched. "Problems? For you? Strange. You two seemed quite comfortable together just now. She looked very happy in your arms."
The jealousy in her voice sent an unexpected thrill through me.
"Are you jealous?" I walked closer, stooping to meet her eyes. "Is that what this is?"
"Take a look at yourself in the mirror first."
She threw my own words back at me with a disdainful snort, and despite everything, I wanted to laugh.
"Then why do you look so angry?" I challenged, leaning closer. "Do I owe you money or something?"
"I’m angry because you’re stupid," she shot back, meeting my gaze without flinching. "Believing Linda’s obvious lies."
Wow, this woman was really brave, daring to insult me again.
"What about you? How smart are you? Do you dare say you weren’t sold to our family by Henry Taylor?" I questioned her.
"That’s right, I was sold to this family, but I sold for 18 million dollars. If it were you, you probably wouldn’t even be worth that price," she said coldly.
"You..."
I was so angry my face turned red. How dare this woman defy me? Was I too gentle last night? Should I never have agreed to help her play the role of a good husband in the first place!
Just when I was about to teach her a lesson, her phone suddenly rang.