Chapter 47 Your Insanely Hot Husband
Emilia’s POV
Mila’s face flushed red. "Tiffany! A lady does not speak of such matters so... so crudely! Where is your sense of propriety? Your elegance?"
"Oh, please." Tiffany rolled her eyes . "Even ladies need to express emotions, Mother. Or should I just sit here like a porcelain doll and smile while you pressure my sister-in-law into an impossible situation?"
"There’s a difference between expressing emotion and being vulgar," Mila shot back.
"And there’s a difference between tradition and delusion," Tiffany countered. "Welcome to the twenty-first century, where we don’t treat women like broodmares."
I watched them volley back and forth.
"Girls, girls." I held up my hands, playing peacemaker. "Can we please—"
"Stay out of this, Emilia," Tiffany said, though her tone was gentle. "My mother needs to hear this."
Mila sighed heavily, pressing her fingers to her temples. "I just want what’s best for my son."
"I know," I said softly. "And I understand your feelings, Mila. But having a child... that’s not something that can be forced or rushed. Right now, the most important thing is helping Sebastian heal from his trauma."
The older woman’s shoulders sagged.
"You’re right," she admitted quietly. "I’m sorry, Emilia. I shouldn’t have pushed. It’s just... when you’re a mother, you want to fix everything for your children, even when they’re grown."
"I get it," I assured her.
Tiffany glanced at her phone. "Okay, this got way too heavy for a Tuesday morning. Emilia, we should probably get going or we’ll both be late."
I nodded gratefully and stood. "I’ll see you later, Mila."
"Have a good day, dear."
All day at work, I kept thinking about the same question over and over. Last night, I told myself not to let Sebastian fall in love with me, but what was I doing this morning? Why did I tell him about my claustrophobia? And why did I promise Mrs. Simons from the bottom of my heart that I’d never leave? When I said those things and made those decisions, did I even remember why I got married in the first place?
After work, Lily asked me to go home together. We took the elevator downstairs,
The lobby was crowded with employees streaming toward the exits. I followed Lily through the glass doors and out onto the sidewalk.
And then—Silence.
The street was as noisy as ever, filled with traffic and conversation and the general chaos of the city. But the other noise, the constant barrage of thoughts and emotions that usually crashed over me like waves...Gone.
I stopped walking so abruptly that Lily nearly crashed into me.
"Emilia? What’s wrong?"
I turned slowly, scanning the crowd. My pulse quickened.
This only happened around one person. Only one person could create this bubble of blessed quiet in my mind.
There.
Leaning against a black car parked at the curb, arms crossed over his chest, sunglasses hiding his eyes but doing nothing to diminish his devastating presence.
Sebastian.
My breath caught.
He was wearing a different suit than he’d had on this morning—this one was charcoal gray, perfectly tailored to his broad shoulders and lean frame. Had he... had he gone home to change before coming here?
"Holy shit," Lily gasped beside me. "Is that your husband?"
"If I’m not mistaken, that’s Sebastian, right?"
"Yeah, don’t you recognize your own husband?" Lily teased.
It wasn’t that I didn’t recognize him. I just couldn’t believe Sebastian would show up at my company.
He looked incredible. Dangerous and completely out of place on this ordinary street corner. Several female employees had noticed him too, their gazes lingering appreciatively.
"Emilia." Lily elbowed me in the ribs. "Your husband is here. Your insanely hot husband is here. Why are you just standing there?"
"I don’t... I wasn’t expecting..."
"Well, don’t keep him waiting." She gave me a little push. "Go on. I’ll catch you tomorrow."
"But—"
"No buts. That man drove all the way here to pick you up. The least you can do is not make him stand there like a stalker." She winked. "Have fun on your date."
"It’s not a date," I protested weakly.
"Sure it’s not." She was already walking away, throwing a wave over her shoulder. "See you tomorrow!"
I took a deep breath and crossed the sidewalk toward Sebastian. Each step brought me closer to that peaceful quiet that only existed in his presence.
He reached out and opened the car door as I approached.
"Hi," I said awkwardly.
He didn’t respond, just gestured for me to get in.
I slid into the passenger seat, hyperaware of his proximity as he closed the door and rounded the car to the driver’s side. The interior smelled like him—that intoxicating mix of mint and cedar that made my head spin.
The engine purred to life. We pulled into traffic.
The silence stretched between us, heavy and expectant. I snuck glances at him from the corner of my eye, trying to gauge his mood.
"Did you happen to be passing by?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Yes."
His tone was flat, offering nothing. Even if he’d driven across the city specifically to pick me up, his pride would never let him admit it.
So much for small talk.
I turned my attention to the window, watching the buildings slide past. After several more minutes of oppressive quiet, I realized we weren’t heading toward the Simons estate.
"Are we going the right direction?" I asked carefully. "This doesn’t look like the way home."
"Who said we’re going home?"
"Then where are we going?"
Sebastian glanced at me.
"What are you afraid of? I’m not going to sell you to human traffickers."
"I’m not afraid," I protested.
"Could’ve fooled me."
The mid-summer evening air was warm and soft as we finally pulled into a parking lot. I stared out the windshield in confusion.
We were at... an outdoor barbecue food court?
The place was packed with people—families, couples, groups of friends—all seated at plastic tables under string lights, the air thick with smoke and the smell of grilled meat.
"What are we doing here?" I asked as Sebastian killed the engine.
"What do you think?" He removed his sunglasses and fixed me with those piercing green eyes. "We’re here to eat."