Sebastian watched Reese, who just sat there, lost in thought. For a moment, he had no idea how to start exining his situation with Sofia.


    He ended up sitting on the edge of her hospital bed, just looking at her for a long time before finally taking a breath and saying, "There''s really nothing between Sofia and me.


    "I never denied the rumors about her being my girlfriend... part of it was because of a deal between us, and the other part was because I was mad at you. About that night, when I thought you drugged me.


    "But I know now it wasn''t you. And I also found out she''s your half-sister. I''ve already cleared things up with her."


    Sebastian nced at Reese, but when she didn''t say anything, he started talking faster.


    "I had someone look into what happened that night, too, but it''s been ages, and most of the leads are gone. Still, I promise I''ll figure it out. I''ll make this right for you."


    The room was so quiet that the drip from her IV was the only thing breaking the silence.


    Reese still looked a little spaced out, but his words finally pulled her back. "You sent Sofia back to Brookfield. Will you still help me get my mom''s ne back from Zach?"


    Sebastian felt a sharp ache in his chest, as if something heavy was pressing on him.


    He''d just poured his heart out, but all she cared about was the ne.


    "Yeah," he said, the word tasting bitter. But then he remembered all the years he''d spent being cold to her, all because of a misunderstanding. He''d even helped spread some of the ugly rumors about her. Maybe he deserved this distance.


    He thought about the child they''d lost, and everything she''d gone through. Sebastian took a slow, deep breath.


    He owed her more than he could ever repay.


    "I''ll get the ne back for you."


    Reese just thanked him quietly,y down, and closed her eyes.


    Sunlight spilled over her pale face, turning the fine hairs on her cheek golden, but somehow it just made her look even more fragile.


    Sebastian''s fingers traced the seam of his pants. He wanted to reach out and touch her hair, but he stopped himself.


    Meanwhile, outside the room, Dylon and Rosie exchanged anxious nces after seeing Brady drag Sofia away. Feeling uneasy, they slipped into the elevator without saying a word.


    It wasn''t until the doors finally closed that Rosie let out a shaky breath, pressing a hand to her chest.


    "That scared the hell out of me. I


    Can''t


    believe Mr Ratcliff suddenly wants to dig into what happened all those years ago."


    Dylon shot her a look, trying to y it cool. "What''s there to be scared of? We covered our tracks. It''s been seven years. Even if it''s Mr. Ratcliff, he won''t find anything."


    Seven years ago, Dylon had brought Reese, who wasn''t even twenty yet, to Sebastian''s birthday party.


    He''d slipped the waiter some cash to spike Sebastian''s drink, then talked Reese into bringing him a toast.


    When the drugs started working and Sebastian left the party, Rosie hade up with an excuse to send Reese up to Sebastian''s suite, pretending she needed to deliver some medicine.


    Afterward, they leaked the story to Mr. Ratcliff, forcing Sebastian to marry Reese.


    "Exactly," Rosie said, finally catching her breath. "We were careful. Even Reese never knew what really happened."


    Now that Reese knew she hadn''t


    lost the baby, she''d nned to check


    out of the hospital as soon as she


    felt better But Sebastian had used


    the ne to force her to stay the full week.


    Worried she was falling behind at work, Reese called n every day for updates. On the fifth day, n finally showed up at the hospital, looking exhausted.


    “Work is fine. Annie''s already started at school, Matthew has basically moved into theb, and the project is still on track."


    Reese slumped against the headboard, bored out of her mind. "I''m just going stir- crazy lying here all day."


    "You need to stay in the hospital,"


    n said quickly, not wanting to get


    dragged into another argument. "If


    you faint again at ckOak, Mr. Ratcliff wit actually tear the whole


    will


    research team apart."


    n still remembered Sebastian''s face the day Reese was rushed to the ER-it


    had been downright terrifying.


    If anything happened to Reese while she was under his care, it wouldn''t just be Sebastianing after him. Mr. Sanchez and Dominic would probably take him apart, too.


    “Alright, alright. No need to walk me out. Get some rest.”


    Reese saw n off to the elevator, watched the doors shut, then turned and headed back to her room.