Chapter 51 Chance Encounter
The night in Aucester was alive with the dance of neon lights, their flickering luminescence painting the city in a vibrant palette of colors.
"Brooklyn, you mustn't let anger consume you," a voice implored, breaking through the city's nocturnal symphony. "Megan is not worth your ire. There will be someone who will deal with her in due course. Focus on living your own life."
Brooklyn, her lips pursed in contemplation, delicately placed a small piece of steak into her mouth. "You're right," she conceded.
Startled, Brooklyn's attention was abruptly drawn from her plate by the sound of her editor's voice. She had been lost in a world of her own, absentmindedly poking at her food with her fork. "Oh, I apologize," she stammered, attempting to regain her composure. "I was just...lost in thought."
"About what?" Kelly inquired, her curiosity piqued.
After a moment's hesitation, Brooklyn decided to confide in her friend. "I was thinking about Sebastian and Megan," she confessed. "I can't help but wonder if Sebastian will finally consent to a divorce now that Megan is carrying his child."
A smirk played on Kelly's lips as she took a bite of her steak. "Well, if he doesn't, he'll have no reason to keep her around, will he?"
Brooklyn exhaled a sigh, her frustration palpable. "Sebastian wants to keep me tethered to the Kingsley family, to control me and deny me the chance for happiness. And now Megan is practically living the life that was meant to be mine."
Kelly's eyes widened in surprise at Brooklyn's revelation. "If we do manage to get a divorce, I will fight tooth and nail for custody of Megan's child," Brooklyn declared, her voice resolute.
"That's the spirit!" Kelly cheered. "That's the Brooklyn I know. Sebastian and Megan are nothing compared to you. There are plenty of good men out there."
Brooklyn scoffed at her friend's optimism. "Like the one at the Royal Club last time? He was nothing more than a scoundrel."
Kelly dismissed her comment with a wave of her hand. "That was just one unfortunate encounter. I'll take you to more events and introduce you to more men. You'll learn to distinguish the good from the bad."
Brooklyn couldn't help but smile at her friend's unyielding optimism. As she turned away from Kelly's gaze, her eyes were drawn to the restaurant's revolving glass door. A group of impeccably dressed men entered, and among them, a tall figure caught her attention.
Sebastian, towering and commanding, was surrounded by a gaggle of middle-aged men who seemed desperate to curry his favor. Brooklyn's heart skipped a beat as she watched him, her grip on her cutlery tightening.
She hadn't anticipated seeing him here, of all places.
Suddenly, memories of Megan's possessiveness at the hospital earlier in the day and Jennifer's scolding over the phone flooded Brooklyn's mind, causing her expression to darken. If Sebastian spotted her and started making demands, Brooklyn wasn't sure she could sleep tonight.
"Brooklyn? What has captured your attention?" Kelly's voice drew her back to reality, and she shook her head, attempting to dispel her thoughts.
Brooklyn's train of thought was abruptly derailed, her emotions swiftly hidden beneath a veneer of calm. She knew that if Kelly caught sight of Sebastian, she would once again take it upon herself to confront him. However, Kelly was no match for Sebastian, a lesson she had learned the hard way previously.
"I wasn't looking at anything. I've had my fill, let's go," Brooklyn declared, setting her cutlery down with finality. The most prudent course of action, she surmised, was to make a swift exit.
"Absolutely not, I've barely begun. Have another bite," Kelly protested, her dissatisfaction evident. They had only sampled a few morsels of their steak, and she was far from ready to relinquish her meal.
Yet, even if Brooklyn desired to leave, her circumstances now forbade it.
Sebastian was ascending the steps, his path coincidentally leading him in their direction.
Sebastian, already irked by his earlier disputes with project partners, lifted his gaze. His sharp eyes landed on a figure seated by the window. The woman was hunched over, a solitary strand of shoulder-length hair cascading down her chest, bathed in the faint glow of the crystal chandelier above.
Clad in a light blouse, her face lightly made up, she was engrossed in her meal. Her profile exuded a gentle tranquility.
When Brooklyn dared to look up again, Sebastian had already been enveloped by a small crowd and ushered to a table for six on their left. He occupied the central seat, while the others brandished menus, suggesting dishes with fervor.
Their voices were hushed, rendering their conversation inaudible to Brooklyn. Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that the air was permeated with Sebastian's deep, resonant voice. He was a man of few words, but his utterances always found their way to her ears. His deep timbre was a stark contrast to the sycophantic laughter of the middle-aged men around him, a sound she found surprisingly pleasant.
Even Kelly, engrossed in her meal, sensed the shift in atmosphere. She couldn't resist glancing around, and when her gaze landed on the scene unfolding nearby, she was rendered speechless.
Sebastian was seated on a sofa not too far away, his legs crossed, his expression stern. He was coldly regarding a man who was delivering a report to him.
In her shock, Kelly dropped the piece of beef she had just put in her mouth.
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