Chapter 76
He had sent Lexi to steal the flash drive, first for business leverage, and second—to test her.
To see if she could act ruthlessly when the stakes were high.
But now it was clear: Lexi had feelings for Sebastian.
Or, if she was slow to understand her own heart, she had at least stopped short of betraying him.
Dominic’s gaze darkened with a dangerous edge.
No one—no one—could take Lexi from his side.
Not even someone like Sebastian Blackwood.
“I’ll make it up to you, Dominic,” Lexi said solemnly, her voice steady, measured.
“I’ll find a way p>
Dominic waved her off, just as his phone buzzed urgently on the table.
He answered quickly, and Lexi’s chest tightened with foreboding.
Hanging up, Dominic’s face had gone stone-cold.
He grabbed his suit jacket, urgency in every motion.
“Lexi, eat. I have to go—something’s come up p>
Lexi’s voice was soft, almost hesitant.
“What’s happened p>
Whatever it was, it had to be serious—something burning-hot urgent, the kind that demanded immediate action.
Dominic paused, his sharp gaze fixing on her.
It was intense enough to make Lexi feel stripped bare, like he could see into her very soul.
“During the council meeting today… Julian collapsed—stomach bleeding. He’s in the hospital now. At a time like this, the Reed’s stocks are going to crash again.” Dominic’s voice trembled with tension, his usually composed demeanor unravelling.
Lexi instinctively wanted to follow him to the hospital, to share in the worry—but reason returned swiftly.
She had no claim to this scene.
Julian had rejected her before; there was nothing left between them.
Seeing the complexity of emotion on Lexi’s face, Dominic hesitated, but Lexi interrupted him gently, decisively.
“Go. You need to handle this. I’ll head back p>
Though he wondered at her calmness, time was short.
He nodded and slipped into his car, disappearing into the traffic.
Lexi stood at the restaurant entrance, exhaling slowly, letting go of any lingering worry about the Reeds.
Some things were meant to be left behind.
Her own funds were spent on her phone; without a new film to shoot, she barely had enough to maintain her daily life.
Sebastian, it seemed, had every intention of starving her—financially and emotionally.
With a surge of frustration, Lexi returned to the nightclub she’d recently started working at.
The owner, seeing her pitiful state, reluctantly let her stay.
Given her celebrity status, she had to disguise herself heavily—thick makeup, scarlet lips, and the nightclub uniform.
No one would suspect that the young woman dazzling patrons on the floor was Lexi, the viral star who had once competed for lead roles against the celebrated actress Lauren.
But that night, chaos struck.
A group of women lit fireworks inside empty bottles at a table.
The spectacle drew the attention of the clubgoers, who began to imitate them.
Flames licked the edges of the tablecloth.
Alcohol made it worse.
The fire spread faster than anyone could control.
Panic erupted.
Lexi bit her lip and followed the crowd, pushing through the smoke-filled room.
People were falling, stepping on one another in a desperate scramble.
She barely had time to breathe.
A woman grabbed her ankle, panicked.
“I twisted my foot! Please, help me p>
Lexi hesitated—she couldn’t just leave her.
She helped remove the woman’s heels and supported her forward, even as flames roared around them.
The fire grew wilder.
As she tried to push through the emergency exit, a wall of heat surged forward, forcing her to collapse to the ground.
Then—a strong hand steadied her.
A man pressed a towel to her face.
“This way! Follow me p>
Lexi nodded, but then felt a grip on her waist—someone pulling her back.
“You can’t leave with her. The fire won’t reach here,” the man said coldly.
“Leave her here for the firefighters p>
“No! If you won’t take me, you won’t go either!” the woman screamed, clinging to Lexi like a lifeline, even if it cost them both their lives.
Lexi cursed under her breath—just trying to earn some extra cash had turned into a fight for survival.
A steel beam fell from above.
Lexi bent instinctively, shielding the woman.
The other woman was knocked unconscious; the man realized he couldn’t move them both and fled.
Through the roar of flames, a shadow fell over her.
Sebastian Blackwood.
It felt like a vision—impossibly perfect in the chaos, a lifeline against the inferno.
Her heart skipped, relief flooding her veins.
He didn’t waste a second.
In his arms, she was safe.
Medics whisked her away to the hospital, stabilizing her immediately.
Hours later, Lexi awoke, disoriented, surrounded by the injured from the blaze.
She rubbed her throbbing head, recalling the fire, the heat, the suffocating smoke.
And then, the memory of him—Sebastian, who had saved her—made her chest tighten.
Her phone lay on the bedside table.
She reached for it but fumbled, the phone slipping.
Before she could panic, a hand retrieved it and placed it back in hers.
Startled, Lexi pulled her hand back.
“Lexi, are you okay?” Julian’s voice was gentle, tempered by concern, his coat a soft cream against the sterile white of the hospital.
His eyes held warmth, a rare softness amidst the darkness surrounding him.
It was just a minor stomach issue for him, nothing serious—but the hospital stay was mandated by his father, who insisted he remain under supervision.
It was the day he was being discharged from the hospital.
Just as he was preparing the paperwork, he unexpectedly ran into Lexi.