The thought that Sebastian had made her a surrogate for Leslie was enough to make Reese''s eyes sting, but she refused to let the tears fall.


    Right now, all she wanted was to tell Sebastian that she knew everything. But she couldn''t. She had to keep her cards close, had to hide the fact that she held proof he''d used her. If she let him know, she''d lose her advantage when it came to divorce.


    "I really believed we could make it work," Reese said quietly. "I thought if I just tried harder, if I was patient enough, someday you''d finally see me."


    She looked up at him, her voice growing sharper. "But what did you do? You dragged Sofia everywhere, always iming it was for work. People called her your girlfriend, and you never bothered to correct them.


    "And now, because of Leslie, you''d risk Ratcliff Global''s reputation and forced Big X and ckOak to work together just to embarrass me.


    "After all of that, you still say you want a future with me. How am I supposed to believe you?"


    Sebastian stared at her, guilt and regret twisting inside him. "Reese, I know I messed up. I was awful, I get that.


    "But I love you. I mean it. I love you, Reese. Only you."


    She let out a bitterugh. "Love me?"


    She repeated the words, like she was tasting something foreign and sour. "Where is it, Sebastian? Where''s your love?"


    She pressed her hand to her chest, her voice barely steady. "I can''t feel it. I can''t sense it. All these years, all you''ve done is hurt me."


    She took a step back, putting more space between them. She kept her head down. "Just leave."


    Sebastian felt like his heart was being squeezed, every breath jagged.


    "Reese, please, let me exin, I—"


    "Get out!"


    Her voice cracked, raw and loud, years of heartbreak and anger spilling out, "I don''t want to see you again. Every time look at you everything you did to me is just ying in my mind!"


    Atst, her tears broke free, sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto the floor, leaving small wet spots on the wood.


    Sebastian couldn''t get a single word out. He wanted to go to her, hold her, wipe her tears away, but his feet wouldn''t move.


    Only now did he really see just how


    did he


    badly he''d failed her. He''d always


    resented Reese''s past with Zach, but never thought about how it must have felt for her watching him parade Sofia around. He''d crushed her pride, her self-worth.


    He''d lied to her about Leslie, forced her to be a surrogate as some twisted way to repay a debt. He knew how much those hormone. shots hurt her, knew how much she wanted another child. But he did it anyway.


    Even recently, he humted her because of


    Leslie. Reese was right. He''d only


    ever brought her pain. How could he ask her to stay?


    A wave of darkness washed over him. Maybe there really was no future for them. "Don''t cry. I''m leaving."


    He turned and walked to the door, pausing onest time. Reese was still in the kitchen doorway, her back to him, shoulders shaking.


    His heart ached, but all he could do was grit his teeth, open the door, and leave.


    The door clicked shut, separating two worlds.


    Reese heard it and wiped her tears away, her gaze suddenly clear.


    Sebastian, we''re done. For good.


    Outside, Sebastian leaned against the doorframe, lit a cigarette, and reyed her words in his mind.


    Where''s your love? I can''t feel it, Sebastian. I can''t feel it.


    He pulled out his phone and called Brady. "Handle the deal with Big X. From now


    on, you can care of everything with Leslie. Don''t update me."