Sebastian's POV
She was already in my office when I walked in.
Perched on the edge of the leather sofa like she owned the room. Like she ever could. Her legs crossed too neatly, dress too tight for a business meeting. Eyes too smug for her own good.
"Rain," I said, voice flat.
"Sebastian," she purred. "You look tired. Not sleeping well? I heard Ava had another one of her… meltdowns."
I didn't answer. I crossed to my desk, set down my briefcase. I'd spent the last two hours watching Ava pick out cereal and sob over cartoons. She cried when the puppy got lost and held my arm like I was oxygen.
And now Rain was here, trying to weaponize her.
"She's sixteen, not six. You coddle her too much," Rain went on, tapping her nails on the table. "It's… disturbing."
I glanced up.
"Get out."
She blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
She stood, slow, like she thought this was a game. "You're angry. That's not like you. Let me help. I know you've always needed someone who—"
"You don't know a damn thing about what I need."
Her lips parted in mock offense. I stepped around the desk.
"You sneak into my home. You tamper with my security system. You listen in on my daughter like some deranged shadow. And now you're sitting here talking about her like she's a problem to be fixed?"
I was inches from her. Calm. Deadly.
"She's everything I give a damn about in this world. So let me make this very simple, Rain."
I leaned in just enough for her smirk to falter.
"You are nothing. Not my friend. Not my colleague. And you will never be someone I trust. You're not even someone I see anymore."
Silence. Only the sound of her breathing a little too sharp.
She tried again. "You used to let me call you Seb—"
I cut her off.
"She gets to call me Seb because she's mine. Because she's earned it with every smile, every breakdown, every 'dada I missed you' like I'm the only person left in her world."
I let that sit. Let it burn.
"You're not her. You'll never be her. And if you show up again, try to twist her against me, try to twist me—"
I smiled, but there was nothing kind in it.
"—I won't be civil."
Rain swallowed hard. I'd seen her manipulate CEOs into begging. But now?
She looked like she was calculating her chances of survival.
"Goodbye, Rain."
I opened the door.
She walked out in heels that didn't sound quite so confident anymore.
And when it shut behind her, I exhaled.
For once, my hands were shaking.
I sat down, pulled out my phone.
One message.
SEB 😭😭 there's a cat outside the window what if he wants to fight
I let out a low laugh.
My Ava.
Mine.
And Rain… just declared war on the one person I'd burn the world for.
Let her try.