Chapter 81: What Is It That You Want?
"Excuse me...?" Anna’s eyes widened, her lips parting in a slight tremble. A flicker of fear passed over her face, and in an instant, it felt as though all the alcohol had drained from her system—sobriety hitting her like a slap, courtesy of Sebastian’s chilling tone.
Sebastian let out a soft chuckle, dragging his fingers through his thick black hair with deliberate ease. "It’s strange... the more I look at you, the more I listen to you... the more familiar you seem. As if we’ve met before."
A fresh wave of dread swept over Anna. This was the second time he had said something unsettlingly perceptive, and it was starting to rattle her more than she cared to admit.
"I don’t understand," she said cautiously, choosing her words with care. Her eyes fought to hold his gaze, though it felt like staring into a storm. "Have we really met before?"
"I wonder," he replied with a nonchalant shrug. "Then again, I meet so many people—it’s entirely possible I’m mistaken."
That’s right, Anna told herself, shifting uneasily in her seat. There’s no way he knows who I really am. Even when I was still close to Marienne, I only ever heard about him—we never actually met in person. So he must be bluffing... or confusing me with someone else.
Sebastian grinned again, the corners of his mouth curling up as he leaned slightly closer, the proximity making her nerves buzz. "But you still haven’t answered my question. What’s it like—being indebted to a man like him?"
"Indebted?" Anna blinked quickly, trying to appear confused, her voice dripping with mock innocence. "I’m not sure what you mean—"
Another chuckle, deeper this time. Sharper. There was an edge to it that sent a shiver down her spine. He clearly wasn’t buying her act.
"Some things in life can’t be helped, I get that," he murmured. "But does it really have to be him? Of all people... William Stark is a broken man, Miss Dumas."
Then, Sebastian leaned in, his face dangerously close to Anna’s, and with a swift motion, unbuckled her seatbelt. "What do you really know about that man? Have you ever wondered why he came back?"