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I smiled at his reflection in the mirror, appreciation making me see the man beneath the scarring. He tapped my shoulder and gave a lopsided grin of his own. Removing the cape, he leaned in close and whispered into my ear.
“He likes you, even if he says he doesn’t.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, but he stepped away and grabbed a mesh bag full of hair products, handing it over. I took it and stood. He gave me a dismissive nod as he grabbed a broom, his eyes going to the door.
“Thank you,” I said. The words didn’t feel like enough, but they were all I had. I left the barbershop and hurried back to my suite.
Chapter16
Sebastian
The flowers in my hand were my wife’s favorite. Blue orchids. I gripped them tightly as I stood in front of her grave, trying to get my emotions under control.
I didn’t come here often, and not just because it was in France. I had a private jet, and I could travel anywhere, anytime I wanted. Charlotte and I had often visited here because it was her favorite place. She loved France, and that was why I buried her here instead of in Switzerland.
I didn’t visit the grave often because it hurt too much. Being here made me think of the fire, the way she died. I hated it.
But I wanted to come here while Belle’s hair was being tended to. It felt like it was a good time to come pay respect to Charlotte. And maybe I needed the space to think about my newfound feelings.
I wondered what Charlotte would think of Belle. She’d probably like the girl, want to take care of her. My wife was a sweet and kind woman.
I knew she wouldn’t want me to retreat into the castle like a beastly recluse. If Charlotte knew how I had changed into a callous person, the way I mistreated those around me, especially Belle, she would be disappointed.
But I’d made a promise to myself when I lost Charlotte. I promised I’d never love again.Ever.And I was notorious for keeping my promises.
I placed the flowers down, their colors bright against the dark soil, and released a deep sigh before turning away.
As I trudged back to my SUV, my cell phone rang, its sound echoing off the trees. It was Maxwell, the only person who knew where I was right now.
“What?” I deadpanned.
“Hi, sir, I wanted to know if you had any plans to stop by the flagship store while you’re in France.”
I ground my teeth together. I didn’t visit the stores anymore, and Maxwell knew that. The last time I did was before Charlotte died.
“No, I don’t. Why would I do that?”
“The board hasn’t had any time to visit the stores this year.”
“When was the last visit?” I asked, irritated and suspicious. I couldn’t understand why he hadn’t mentioned this to me earlier.
“Nine months ago.”
“What? I hired people for this specific job. Why have they overlooked it for so long?”
“Because you fired them for incompetence a few months after hiring them.”
I cursed under my breath. “Fine,” I snapped as I reached my vehicle. “I’ll go.”
I drove in the opposite direction I had planned, heading into downtown Paris. I hated crowds—and most people—and this place had way too many of them. I was regretting my agreement to come here, but I knew it was probably a good idea. It had been so long that I was positive none of the workers would know who I was. That would give me an opportunity to check things out from a customer’s perspective.
The building, almost entirely made of glass, was our largest store, spanning three stories, and offering some of the world’s finest chocolate and candy.
As I walked inside, I expected to be overwhelmed by a multitude of issues since the store had gone so long without an inspection, yet I was pleasantly surprised to find it nearly flawless.
I didn’t really care about the store because I would be leaving the company as soon as I had a child, but it was a relief that I wouldn’t have to reveal myself and reprimand anyone for their fuck-ups.
Upon entering, I came to an abrupt halt when I saw a portrait of my family, which I had almost forgotten was hung there. The photograph was captured when I was just ten years old, with my parents, my brother and me posing in front of a fireplace, wearing artificial smiles that concealed the profound discontent within us. I vividly remembered feeling extremely bored as the photo session dragged on, wandering around the studio while my family posed. My father threated to make my life a living hell if I got even a speck on my white dress shirt.
