Garden honesty

The garden was quiet, save for the distant rustle of leaves in the afternoon breeze. Sebastian and I sat at a small round table nestled beneath a canopy of flowering vines. The smell of jasmine mixed with the aroma of the meal Sebastian had bought. The table, though simple, felt oddly intimate. The golden light of the afternoon cast soft shadows around us, making the moment feel almost unreal.

As we ate, the silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable. It was thoughtful, almost reflective. I could feel Sebastian glancing at me every so often, his piercing eyes studying me like I was a puzzle he was intent on solving.

He broke the silence first. “I wanted to hear your thoughts on the mission.”

I looked up from my plate, surprised. His voice was steady, but there was curiosity in his tone.

“The mission?” I echoed, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. “Well… I think the missing cargo was stolen before it was even loaded onto the trailers.”
Sebastian arched an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Go on.”

I shifted in my seat, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Think about it. If the cargo was stolen on the road, it would’ve taken hours to offload. Someone would’ve noticed. Your spy, a camera, anything. But nothing like that happened. So it has to be someone at the source—before it even left, it doesn’t matter if it was stolen on a lone road, I mean according to the testament of the truck driver he packed up his truck near a motel to use the bathroom. Now According to him, it was an old motel, the road was somewhat scanty. It was noon, and he said he took just 10 minutes, but then, he comes out and sees the cargo open and almost empty.”

“Question one; How do you empty something that big and no one notices in 10 minutes.
 Question Two; It could mean the cargo may have been exchanged right there but wont they need a crane to make that happen? 
 Question Three; what was inside the container after they left the docks? Since we know this all happened on the docks, what was put inside the container after the most valuable were shifted?
These are the most arising questions I have but I am sure we will know all of this soon.” I said.

Sebastian leaned back in his chair, his lips curling into a small smile. “That’s very true, this may have sounded easy at first but you have began to see the complications, that’s logical thinking right there.”
I chuckled softly, a little embarrassed. “Maybe, but it doesn’t seem like everyone thought so. The way they were grasping at straws during the meeting… it was a little surprising.”

He nodded, letting out a low laugh. “Sometimes, what’s obvious to one person isn’t obvious to another. That’s why I need someone like you.”
His words caught me off guard. I felt my cheeks warm, and I quickly looked down at my plate to avoid his gaze.
After a brief pause, I decided to change the subject. “I’m sorry again about earlier,” I said, my voice soft.

Sebastian tilted his head, his expression curious. “About what?”

“The way I snapped at you in the restaurant,” I admitted, fidgeting with my fork. “I wasn’t in the best headspace, and you didn’t deserve that.”
He waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t apologize. It’s refreshing, actually. Most people tiptoe around me, afraid to say anything that might upset me. But you? You’re real. And I appreciate that.”

His words left me speechless. All I could do was nod, a small smile tugging at my lips.
He took another bite of his food before speaking again. “You mentioned wanting to be of service earlier. What exactly do you mean by that?”
“Well,” I began, trying to choose my words carefully, “I want to help in any way I can. Whether it’s attending meetings, gathering information, or just being there when you need someone… I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”
Sebastian studied me for a moment, then nodded approvingly. “Good. Because you’ll need to learn a lot if you’re going to stand by my side.”
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Like what?”

“For starters,” he said, leaning forward slightly, “you need to sharpen your skills with words. You’re already quick-witted, which is a good foundation, but I want you to master the art of persuasion and negotiation.”
I blinked in surprise. “You think I can do that?”

He smirked. “You already have a way with words. I’ve seen it. But Raven will help you refine it.”
I nodded slowly, processing his words. “Okay. What else?”
“You’ll also need to learn self-defense,” he continued. “Not for my protection, but for your own. The last thing I want is for you to be caught off guard in a dangerous situation, though I already mentioned this in the car so yeah.”

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in. “Raven will teach me to handle a gun and then mamba, for melee, yeah I remember.”
The thought of training with Raven and Mamba was both exciting and terrifying. I nodded again, my determination growing. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Sebastian smiled at me, his expression one of pride. “I knew you would.”
The conversation took a lighter turn after that. Sebastian asked me a question that caught me completely off guard.
“What’s your favorite car brand?”

I blinked, taken aback. “My favorite car brand?”
He nodded, a playful glint in his eyes. “Yes. Humor me.”
A wide grin spread across my face as I leaned forward, suddenly animated. “Okay, so… I love Porsches. Especially the 911 Turbo S. The design, the speed—it’s perfect. Oh, and Aston
Martins. The Vantage, specifically. It’s so sleek and sophisticated, like something out of a spy movie. Well, I did know the brand name from a spy movie soo……anyway”

Sebastian chuckled, clearly amused by my enthusiasm. “Interesting choices. Anything else?”
“Definitely the Lexus LFA,” I said, my eyes lighting up. “I know people say it’s overpriced, but it’s the best-sounding car in the world, in my opinion.”
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “You’re a car enthusiast, aren’t you?”
I laughed, a little embarrassed. “Maybe a little. Why? Are my choices surprising?”
“Not at all,” he said, shaking his head. “Though I am curious—why no mention of Lamborghinis or Ferraris?”
I shrugged, my smile fading slightly. “I don’t dislike them. I just… see them everywhere. They’re too common. I prefer something unique.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “Fair enough. So, if you could have any car right now, what would it be?”

I didn’t hesitate. “The Porsche 911. It’s low-profile but still a beast on the road. Perfect for someone like me.”
Sebastian chuckled. “I thought you might say that. Consider it yours. You’ll have it by the end of the week.”
My jaw dropped. “Wait, are you serious?”

“Of course,” he said with a smirk. “You’ll need a car for your new role, after all.”
I was speechless. The idea of owning a Porsche—a car I had only ever dreamed of—felt surreal. “Thank you,” I finally managed to say.
“Don’t thank me yet,” he replied. “You’ll have a lot of responsibilities to go along with it.”
“I’m ready,” I said firmly.
Sebastian nodded, satisfied. “Good. Because you’ll need to be discreet. Keep your ears open in the house, but don’t make it obvious. I’ll leave the inside work to you.”

“I understand,” I said, my mind already racing with possibilities.
We finished our meal shortly after that. As we stood up to leave, Sebastian mentioned that he needed to meet with Raven, while I decided to visit Sophia.
The walk to Sophia’s room felt nostalgic. It had been a while since I last stepped foot in that part of the house. When I knocked on the door, she opened it with a warm smile.

“Ariella!” she exclaimed, pulling me into a hug.
“Hey, Sophia,” I said, returning the embrace.
We sat down together, catching up on everything that had happened. Sophia spoke about the changes in the house since Sebastian’s transformation.
“Things are so much better now,” she said, her voice filled with gratitude. “The girls are treated with more respect. They even have a say in small decisions now, which is a huge step forward.”

I nodded, my heart swelling with pride for Sebastian. “He’s really trying to make a difference.”
Sophia smiled. “And it’s all because of you, isn’t it?”
I shook my head quickly. “No, it’s not me. It’s him. He made this choice on his own.”
Sophia chuckled. “Maybe. But I think you’ve been a good influence on him.”
Her words warmed my heart, but they also made me feel a pang of sadness. I glanced around the room, noticing the familiar faces of the other girls. They were still here, still living as slaves.

Sophia noticed my expression and sighed. “It’s not perfect. We’re still slaves, after all. But it’s a start.”
I nodded slowly, my resolve hardening. “I’ll do everything I can to help. For all of you.”
Sophia smiled, reaching out to squeeze my hand. “Thank you, Ariella.”
We talked for a while longer before I made my way back to Sebastian’s room. When I walked in, I found him sitting on the couch, watching TV.

“Raven said she’ll personally handle your self-defense training,” he said without looking away from the screen. “And Mamba is excited to see what you can do with a knife.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Sounds like it’s going to be a tough week.”
Sebastian glanced at me, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Oh, it will be tough. But I have faith in you. You’ll surprise even yourself by the time they’re done with you.”
I chuckled nervously as I sat down beside him, trying to imagine what kind of lessons Raven and Mamba would put me through. The thought was both exciting and terrifying. “Well, I’ll do my best. I just hope I don’t end up embarrassing myself.”

Sebastian leaned back, his gaze softening as he looked at me. “You won’t. You’ve got more fight in you than you think.”
Those words, simple as they were, struck a chord deep within me. It wasn’t often that someone believed in me, especially not someone like him. I glanced at him and smiled softly. “Thank you.”
We sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, the muffled sound of the television filling the space. It wasn’t until a commercial break that Sebastian spoke again, his tone more serious this time.

“There’s something I need to ask you,” he said, turning his body slightly to face me.
I straightened, suddenly feeling the weight of his gaze. “What is it?”
He hesitated for a moment before speaking. “I want to know if you’re ready for everything that’s coming. The roles, the responsibilities… it’s not going to be easy. Are you sure you’re up for it? I am not asking this because I doubt you, but I am strict on my path, I take responsibilities seriously, I love you and don’t want you to get hurt but I also want you to be strong for you. That’s the reason I am doing this.”

I met his eyes, my heart racing as I considered his question. I thought about everything that had happened, about how far I’d come since I first arrived at the mansion. “I’m ready,” I said, my voice steady. “I know it won’t be easy, but I want to help you. I want to make a difference. I want to help myself, I want to be better”
Sebastian studied me for a moment, then nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer. “Good. Because things are only going to get more complicated from here.”

As the night stretched on, we fell into a rhythm—talking about plans for the future, sharing small jokes, and occasionally lapsing into comfortable silence. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I belonged, like I was part of something bigger than myself.
Eventually, exhaustion began to creep in, and I yawned despite myself. Sebastian noticed and chuckled softly. “Get some rest. You’ve had a long day.”
I nodded, standing up and heading toward the bed. As I settled in, I couldn’t help but glance at him one last time. He was still sitting on the couch, his focus seemingly on the TV, but I knew his mind was elsewhere.
“Goodnight, Sebastian,” I said softly.
He glanced at me, a small smile playing on his lips. “Goodnight, Ariella.”
As I closed my eyes, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was excited for what tomorrow would bring.