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At my invitation, she sits gracefully, crossing one long leg over the other while I take my seat across from her. She watches me with eyes like a cat, narrowed and missing nothing. The tension in the air is palpable, and I can’t help but feel on edge. I wait for her to speak, unsure of what to expect. But instead of offering condolences like everyone else, Margaret gets straight to the point.
“Sebastian, I want to talk to you about my daughter.”
My stomach twists even more. I knew this was coming, but I had hoped to have a bit of time to grieve before dealing with Margaret’s drama. I steel myself for what's to come and try to remain calm.
“I know why you came here, Ms. Van Dieren,” I start, my tone neutral. “I can assure you—”
“Oh, please, call me Margaret,” she interrupts, waving a perfectly manicured hand.
I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the inevitable rejection. “Well, Margaret, I know why you came all the way here, and the answer to your request isno.”
Margaret’s response is swift and cutting. “Oh, that's going to make our conversation much more difficult, then.”
I can feel the weight of her disapproval bearing down on me. I love Julia with all my heart, but Margaret doesn't seem to understand the depth of my feelings. I need to make her understand, and if that doesn’t work, I need to make her see that I’m not going to back down so easily.
“I love Julia. And yet, despite what I feel for her, I’ve never done a single inappropriate thing with her.”
“And what do you expect in return? An award?” Margaret sneers. “I’m sure you know that I'm not your biggest fan, Sebastian…” Her voice is laced with barely-concealed disdain, causing me to grit my teeth.
I know I’m not the most reputable person, but I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. “I want to propose,” I say firmly. “The death of my mother and siblings made me realize how short and precious life is. I don’t want to waste any more time.”
Margaret’s response is nothing but disgust. “But of course. A new trophy to add to your collection.”
I can feel my blood boiling, but I try to stay composed. “She feels the same about me, you know.”
Margaret scoffs. “She’s nineteen, she’s got no idea what her feelings really are. She’s conflating lust and love. And you seem to be making the same mistake, which is honestly laughable for a man of your age.” She turns her nose up at me with a curl of her lip. “I expected more from the Van den Bosch heir, honestly.”
My resolve falters. I know Margaret has never approved of our relationship, but her words still sting. I take a deep breath and try to respond as calmly as possible. “I assure you, Margaret, if I only wanted her for her body, I wouldn't be sitting here discussing this with you,” I state, my voice unwavering.
Margaret raises a skeptical eyebrow. “You’ve only known her for a matter of weeks. How can you be so sure?”
My body fills with determination. “I knew from the moment I met her that she was the one I had been waiting for all my life.”
The older woman rolls her eyes and cackles. “Ah yes, love at first sight. How charmingly naive.”
I take a deep breath, fighting to keep my composure. “I’m certain that she feels the same way, and yet you have dismissed her feelings just as you are dismissing mine.”
She lets out a long, exaggerated sigh. “I understand that you believe this is something more, but it’s time to face reality. This little fling of yours ends now.”
Blood pounds in my head like the beat of a thousand drums. God, this woman makes me angrier than I ever imagined being. “I’m afraid I cannot do that,” I say as calmly as I can, staring directly into her eyes. Her gaze is as sharp as a knife, but I am stone, and she can’t cut through me.
The tension in the room is so thick that it is almost palpable. Margaret is fidgeting impatiently, and her eyes dart around the room before settling on the photograph of my family on the desk. She stands, folding her hands behind her back again as she bends at the waist to see the picture better. I feel a chill run down my spine as I watch her inspect it.
“What a beautiful family,” she says, feigning sympathy. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
I can feel my muscles tense up as I respond through gritted teeth, shooting to my feet with nervous energy and resisting the urge to pace. “Thanks, but they were not the target. I was.”
I pick up the frame and examine it closely, studying every detail of my family’s smiling faces. My heart aches for them, and I can’t shake off the feeling that Margaret had something to do with their deaths. But I keep my suspicions to myself, knowing that any accusation will only make things worse.
“It's just a matter of time until we find out who did it,” I add, placing the frame back on the desk.
Margaret’s sly smile tells me that she knows something I don't. “Let’s hope you catch them before they take down their actual target.” There’s a flash of something sinister in her eyes. “You.”
I clench my fists and stare her down, my resolve hardening with each passing moment. I won’t let her get away with this. “I will catch them,” I say, my voice low and steady. “And when I do, they will pay for what they did.”
Margaret van Dieren is a bitch, but as the minutes pass, I’m more and more sure that she’s a monster, too. She shrugs one thin shoulder, replying flippantly, “Maybe so.”
“Margaret,” I growl, and she whips her head around to look at me, the change in my voice startling her. Good. “If you let me marry Julia, I won’t put you in jail, and your daughter will never know it was you.”
