Chapter 127
Warm sunlight spilled across Lexi’s delicate face.
She shifted in her sleep.
Then opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was Sebastian.
His expression was unusually calm, but his dark eyes were fixed on her.
Deep and black, they seemed to contain invisible hooks, pulling her gaze toward him.
He hadn’t looked away even once.
“Sebastian p>
Lexi blinked.
“How did you p>
She stopped.
The answer suddenly occurred to her.
“You didn’t have someone following me, did you p>
Given how much Sebastian cared about her, there was no way he’d simply allow her to wander around an industry filled with danger without some kind of protection.
But if Sebastian had assigned people to watch over her, he had made sure they remained invisible.
It could have been a production assistant.
A lighting technician.
Even the employee at the little breakfast shop she frequented.
They were ordinary people who blended seamlessly into the background.
Sebastian would never let Lexi know they were protecting her.
He knew her temperament.
If she discovered someone was watching her, she’d become paranoid about every person around her.
Sebastian’s voice was low and magnetic.
“We’re even now p>
His gaze remained on hers.
“Do you really think I’d waste manpower and money following you p>
Lexi fell silent.
Whatever the reason he’d known she was in danger, the truth remained simple.
He had saved her.
Which meant she owed him again.
Lexi turned her head slightly and stole a careful glance at him.
His eyes were bloodshot.
There were dark circles beneath them.
Had he really stayed here all night taking care of her?
Something inside her chest began beating irregularly again.
She had thought seeing Sebastian in that pit had only been a desperate hallucination.
But he’d actually come.
He’d found her.
And he’d brought her here.
Lexi pressed a hand against her chest as though she could physically restrain her heart.
Stop.
She shook her head, trying to silence the thoughts running through her mind.
Then her phone rang.
Lila.
The sudden call shattered the strange intimacy hanging over the hospital room.
“Lexi, the two ordinary guests have been found p>
Lila’s voice came through the phone.
“They sneaked away while the cameraman was asleep and went down the mountain to a nearby orchard to steal fruit p>
Lexi frowned.
“They were caught by the farmer p>
“And apparently they refused to admit they had done anything wrong. They got into an argument with him p>
Lila sighed.
“The police are involved now p>
Lexi’s expression tightened.
“Because you were responsible for them during the challenge, the production team believes you bear some responsibility p>
“They want you to step in and help smooth things over p>
“I can p>
Lexi had barely begun when Sebastian took the phone from her hand.
His brows drew together.
His voice immediately became cold and commanding.
“Lila p>
The tone alone was enough to make the other end go silent.
“Tell the director this has absolutely nothing to do with Lexi p>
“Don’t even think about sending her to clean up someone else’s mess p>
“If he has a problem with that, tell him to come directly to Sebastian Blackwood p>
“I’ll deal with him myself p>
He ended the call.
The room fell silent.
Sebastian’s expression softened as he looked at Lexi.
“From now on, don’t force yourself to do things like this p>
Lexi sighed.
“You’re using your power again p>
She knew she wasn’t completely blameless.
She had been responsible for the guests.
She should have kept a closer eye on them.
Once she recovered, she intended to explain everything to the director herself.
She didn’t want the production team putting another label on her.
Sebastian Blackwood’s woman.
She had worked too hard to separate herself from his shadow.
Before either of them could say anything else, the hospital door creaked open.
“Lexi p>
Lauren walked in.
She wore a pale-blue shirt dress and carried an expensive-looking fruit basket.
Her face was filled with concern.
At least, that was what she wanted everyone to believe.
Lexi stared at her in surprise.
What was Lauren doing here?
“I only found out that you were in this hospital,” Lauren said gently.
“That’s why I came so late p>
She placed the fruit basket on the bedside table.
“Don’t worry. Lila has already handled everything with the production team p>
Then Lauren walked over to Sebastian and slipped her arm through his.
The image looked almost perfect.
The beautiful couple.
A powerful man and his elegant woman.
Except Sebastian looked uncomfortable.
He immediately removed Lauren’s arm.
Then he looked at her.
“Lauren p>
His tone was flat.
“Is there something you want to tell me p>
Lauren’s heart sank.
She forced a smile.
“No p>
“I came here specifically to see Lexi p>
She glanced at him.
“There are some things I want to discuss with her privately p>
“Sebastian, could you give us a moment p>
Once upon a time, he had called her Lauren with affection, using pet names that made her feel cherished.
Now he simply called her by her name.
Cold.
Distant.
Formal.
The difference was impossible to miss.
Sebastian had wanted Lauren to tell him the truth ever since he discovered that Lexi—not Lauren—had saved his life in the accident years ago.
He had waited.
And waited.
But Lauren had never brought it up.
He had just given her another chance to confess.
Apparently, she still hadn’t understood what he was asking.
Fine.
Even if Lauren wasn’t his true lifesaver, their history together remained.
He wasn’t heartless enough to erase everything between them overnight.
Sebastian nodded.
He rose from the chair beside Lexi’s bed and walked out.
The moment his footsteps faded down the hallway, Lexi’s expression turned cold.
“Sebastian is gone p>
She looked at Lauren.
“You can stop pretending now p>
Lauren let out a cold laugh.
The sweetness disappeared from her face.
A vicious glint flashed through her eyes.
“Lexi, what exactly did you do to Sebastian p>
“How did you make him care about you this much p>
She stepped closer.
“You shamelessly seduced another woman’s man p>
“You really have no dignity p>
Lexi’s amber eyes hardened.
“I’ll say this one last time p>
“I have nothing to do with Sebastian p>
She pointed toward the fruit basket.
“If you can’t keep your own man, don’t look for someone else to blame p>
“And if you have nothing else to say, take your things and leave p>
Lexi glanced at the basket.
She certainly wasn’t touching anything Lauren had brought.
“Since you insist that you and Sebastian have nothing between you p>
Lauren’s eyes narrowed.
“Prove it p>
“If you can prove that, I’ll believe you p>
“And I’ll never bother you again p>
Her beautiful face twisted with anger and resentment.
If Sebastian and Lexi really had nothing going on, then why had he repeatedly risked himself to save Lexi?
Why did his eyes always change whenever he looked at her?
Lauren had never seen that expression directed at anyone else.
She was a woman.
She trusted her instincts.
She knew what she was seeing.
Sebastian cared about Lexi.
Perhaps he even loved her.
The frightening part was that neither of them seemed to realize it yet.