Page 154 of The Hunter's Empire

Then I see Sebastian.

He stands only a few feet away, his gaze fixed on the image still frozen across the projector screens. Around him, conversations have dissolved into whispers, and although no one says anything to his face, I can feel the weight of every sympathetic glance directed his way.

Slowly, he turns to look at me. The expression in his eyes makes my stomach sink. He doesn't say a word. He simply starts walking toward me.

When he reaches me, he takes hold of my wrist.

"Sebastian..."

He doesn't respond.

His grip is firm as he turns and begins leading me through the crowd. I have no choice but to follow, stumbling to keep up with his pace while security struggles to hold the reporters back.

Microphones are thrust toward us from every direction.

"Mr. Hayes! Do you have a comment?"

"Do you know who’s the man in the photograph?"

"Is the engagement over?"

The flashes become relentless.

"Sebastian." I say, trying to free my wrist. "You're hurting me."

Nothing. He doesn't slow down or look back.

Within moments we're outside, where an even larger crowd of journalists waits beyond the security barriers. The instant they see us, waves of shouting erupts, but Sebastian ignores every question. He marches straight to his car, opens the passenger door, and pushes me inside.

Before I can gather my thoughts, he rounds the front of the car, slides behind the wheel, and pulls away from the estate without saying a single word.

The silence inside the car is far more unsettling than anything the reporters could have asked.

For several minutes, neither of us speaks. The city lights blur past outside the windows as Sebastian drives, his jaw locked, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. I've never seen him like this. He's always been composed, even under pressure. Tonight, that composure feels dangerously fragile.

"Sebastian..." I say carefully. "I know you're angry."

A humorless laugh escapes him. "Angry?"

His grip tightens around the steering wheel. "I found out my fiancée kissed another man because someone decided to broadcast it to half of Manhattan."

"I was going to tell you."

"Were you?" He asks quietly. "Or were you waiting until you couldn't hide it anymore?"

The words sting because I don't have an answer.

"I never wanted you to find out like that."

"No." He shakes his head. "If you wanted to fuck around, the least you could've done was keep it private." His voice remains unnervingly calm. "Instead, you humiliated me in front of everyone who matters. You didn't just destroy our engagement tonight, Zora. You destroyed my reputation."

Before I can respond, my phone begins to ring. I glance down at the screen. Nico.

"Put it on speaker." Sebastian doesn't raise his voice.

I hesitate for a fraction too long.

"I wasn't giving you a choice."